Wasteland Art

There’s a piece of wasteland at 2 West Granton Road, Edinburgh ///dock.entertainer.lazy which used to look like this:

Then someone cleared all the naturally wilded plants as well as the rubbish and left it looking like this.

It’s been bothering me every time I walk past (most days). I wish it was a community garden, a beautiful place where we could grow things together and sit and enjoy each other’s company.

Then, I was at a poetry reading by members of 12, a collective of women writers at the National Library. They were reading from their book: ‘Spaces Open’ written in and about the lovely West Port Garden in the Grassmarket which was originally designed by Norah Geddes. I’d seen an exhibition about it at Central Library earlier in the year.

Making socially engaged art

A phrase in Tessa Berring’s poem ‘China Sheep’ caught my eye when I was reading it on the bus on the way home – ‘a wasteland leaning into a possibility’. It seemed so appropriate, that I went home and stitched it into a banner which I have put up on the Granton plot.

I used fabric from the Granton Scrapstore which used to be at Granton:hub.org courtesy of Toni Dickson, project manager of Lauriston Farm (an urban farm growing food for people and wildlife) fame.

Location

The site is next to Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts who are doing amazing work relieving poverty in Edinburgh by providing meals – made using surplus food – and follow-up support for people across the city of Edinburgh, free of charge and without judgement. Please note, they are always needing volunteers.

The images above show the stitched banner by Tamsin Grainger in place with the quote, ‘a wasteland leaning up against a possibility’ by Tessa Berring

It looks a bit small, doesn’t it, and may not last long given the weather we’ve been having and the history of vandalism in the area, but if it gives a few people some pleasure and something to think about, then I’ll be happy. It’s hand-made work made with care in an area that needs as much TLC as it can get.

Links

You may like to check out my other work nearby: The Wall on the Western Breakwater of Granton Harbour, No Birds Land in the Trinity Tunnel and Is there a place for REVOlution or Peace and Biscuits in the Ferry Road tunnel of the Chancelot Path of the Edinburgh Cycle Ways.

The Sound Walk Map shows their location.

Did you know that the Roseburn Path is under threat? If you support and use the Edinburgh cycle paths, you might like to check out this website: Save the Roseburn Path

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