New Perthshire Covid memorial hoped to spark reflection

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

Finlay told The Herald about his vision for the new memorial, which drew on the folly tradition that can be seen throughout Highland Perthshire. He pointed to sites like The Hermitage near Dunkeld as key sources of inspiration.
'Follies', which are ornamental structures which have been designed to evoke historical buildings or scenic landscapes, were common in the 18th and 19th centuries at estates across the UK.
'In one way I thought I was done with Covid, but then I met the team planning the memorial in Perthshire', Finlay said.
'There's a proud tradition of capturing these scenic Highland themes on 'follies', of seeing the wild as beautiful.
'This inspired me to make a contemporary response to the Perthshire tradition. I wanted to create a space that doesn't insist on the event of Covid, but encourages people to reflect and remember.'
The 'folly' tradition inspired Finlay's work. (Image: Alec Finlay) The memorial consists of a series of trellises which are designed to evoke five mountain skylines: Schiehallion, Farragon Hill, Meall Tairneachan, Ben Vrackie, and Beinn a' Ghlò.
Finlay told The Herald: 'It's a space for people affected by Covid, and it also reflects how the past of Castle Menzies is being renewed. Through our work, we were able to enlarge an existing historical garden and give it a new sense of purpose.'
'The artwork itself is made of larch, which is the most well-known type of tree in Highland Perthshire.'
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Originally built in the 1500s, Castle Menzies was restored by the Menzies Clan Society during the 20th century.
As part of the installation, five cherry trees were planted on the grounds of the castle, the first step in restoring a historic orchard which was planted on the site.
While the site has been open since last summer, Finlay wanted to take time to celebrate the community behind the memorial. A small ceremony was held on the 18th of May at the castle.
'We collected memories from people using the simple formula 'I remember', and read those out at the ceremony', Finlay said. 'We then buried them in a wooden kist with white roses.'
Roses were buried atop a wooden kist (Image: George Logan).Several speakers read poems and memoires at the event; including Finlay, Edinburgh-based poet Ken Cockburn, and Perthshire author Morag Anderson.
Finlay contracted Covid the week before lockdown began and still suffers from Long Covid. He says his artwork helps to keep the issue at the forefront of the public's imagination.
'I'll never forget the two million people who were changed by Covid', he said. 'The government has not done enough.
'We need to come to terms with the trauma. This can take the form of works of art and fiction.'
Finlay worked alongside The Herald and other stakeholders to create Scotland's Covid memorial in Pollok Country Park, which was completed in the spring of 2023.
Herald readers raised more than £240,000 in support of the memorial, which was backed by the Scottish Government and leading entrepreneurs Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey.
Members of the public gathered at the event. (Image: George Logan) The memorial, which consists of 40 'rune-like' wooden tree supports lined along a woodland path, is intended to serve as a space for solace and quiet contemplation.
Finlay and his team solicited 'I remember' statements from members of the public, asking them to recall moments and memories of their loved ones.
At the time, he said: 'My inbox has been like a burn flowing and then, some days, there are waterfalls, where it fills up.
'Each person's memory helps to make the individual experience of the pandemic real – sometimes tragic personal losses are expressed in simple almost mundane memories, which are moving – bad Dad jokes, shared walks, the texture of a wall – while others strike to the heart – the fears we've all sometimes felt, a son lost too early, a beloved mum now gone.'
Five years have passed since the pandemic began, and while many have moved on with their lives, Finlay says it is imperative that people do not forget what happened.
He notes: 'We're still within the shadow of the pandemic. The beauty of art is that it can bring that time back into public discourse.
'It's like living through a war. We are now in the post-war reconstruction period, and it's going very poorly.'
Indeed, for those who have experienced Long Covid, or the death of a loved one, or the various issues caused by social isolation, the trauma is far from being reconstructed.
Finlay hopes that his work can give voice to these individuals, and play a part, no matter how small, in helping them heal.