LEITH FOLK & LORE
LEITH FOLK & LORE
In 2023 I created and installed my debut solo exhibition Leith Folk & Lore at Out of the Blue Drill Hall.
An exhibition of explorative riso-folklore, created during my time as artist in residence at Out of the Blueprint in Edinburgh.
“I wanted to show that folklore isn’t an academic dusty thing that is inaccessible to people. Folklore is just telling stories about who you are and where you come from. More people are storytellers than they realise. We used to rely on stories, that’s how we understood ourselves and the landscape around us so it’s a very important part of our culture and I don’t think we should lose that just because we live in a digital age now.”
— Morvern Graham / The Edinburgh Evening News
About the Exhibition
Based on a set of local folktales from the area, Leith Folk & Lore is a celebration and showcase of Leith’s vibrant history and culture from both past and present. Using bold and explorative risograph printing techniques, Morvern has lifted these stories off the paper and brought them to life in the form of sculptural puppets and 3D installations. The exhibition aims to bring folk together, Leithers and non locals alike, and show them something new about this proud part of the city.
The exhibition featured 3 local folktales, each written and adapted in the artist’s unique style and made into 3 riso-books which were available to purchase. In addition to two historical tales from Leith’s past, the artist debuted a new original folktale, inspired by the modern day events of the Edinburgh Tram development, which impacted the life of Leith locals for several years.