PREVIOUSLY unseen pictures of an abandoned Scottish island – taken by a former World Photographer of the Year – have gone on display.
The images of Mingulay were taken by Craig Easton, who was named Photographer of the Year at the 2021 Sony World Photography Awards.
They are part of an exhibition at the University of St Andrews’ Wardlaw Museum looking at the island, which lies south of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.
Mingulay was abandoned in 1912.
Easton’s works, taken in 2021, are juxtaposed with those of Robert Moyes Adam, who photographed the island between 1905-22 (example below), and Margaret Fay Shaw, who documented the lives of those who temporarily returned to the island in the 1930s.
Together, the three sets of images give a unique insight into the impact of human absence on landscapes, ecosystems and culture, the museum says.
The purchase of Easton’s Mingulay portfolio was made possible by the Art Fund and the National Fund for Acquisitions.
Laura Brown, curator of photography at the University of St Andrews, said: “To see the work of these photographers side by side is a wonderful opportunity. Adam’s work is extraordinary in covering almost every corner of the Scottish landscape, but clearly Mingulay meant a great deal to him. And he continues to inspire photographers to this day.
“Craig Easton, wanting to mark the centenary of Adam’s final visit, took great risks to reach the island and follow in his footsteps but with a contemporary eye.
“We were delighted to acquire Craig’s portfolio of the project with the generous support of the Art Fund and the National Fund for Acquisitions and to give visitors the chance to see them for the first time.”
Easton, who won Photographer of the Year at the 2021 Sony World Photography Awards, was inspired to embark on the Mingulay project by Adam’s glass plate negatives and handwritten ledgers, which are held at the University of St Andrews.
The series is an important modern environmental record of the island – which is now a nature reserve – highlighting changes and challenges over the last 100 years.
Easton said: “During a visit to see the photographic collections at the University of St Andrews, I came across Robert Moyes Adam’s negatives and hand-written ledgers of his two visits to Mingulay.
“I work extensively in the Scottish Islands and, knowing the history of Mingulay, I immediately wanted to go and see it for myself.
“My aim was not to take forensic photographs from the same viewpoint as Adam but rather to use his work as inspiration to revisit the island and respond in a new way, albeit using a similarly cumbersome large format camera.
“I’m grateful to St Andrews University for adding this new work to its collection and for their continuing wider support of contemporary Scottish photography.”
Today, Mingulay is an important seabird breeding ground and home to 6% of Europe’s razorbill population, alongside large numbers of puffins. The exploration of the human impact on nature is a part of the museum’s research and supports the university’s strategic commitment to sustainability.
The early photographs also give insights into the lives of those who lived and worked on the island, showing individuals in their kitchens, outside their homes and enjoying camaraderie as they care for their flocks of sheep. The exhibition also records the culture of these inhabitants through Gaelic poetry and song.
Return to Mingulay is on display until January 7 and is accompanied by a series of free events, including a family St Andrew’s Day celebration of Scottish culture on Saturday, November 25.
