Seven of the 7th is an exhibition forming part of Gretna 100, which commemorates the Leith soldiers who lost their lives in the Quintinshill rail disaster on 22 May 1915.
The overall project – funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and managed by Out of the Blue – aims to let Leithers connect with the disaster that devastated their community 100 years ago.
This particular exhibition was researched by a community group who worked with Citizen Curator and artist Jan-Bee Brown to explore the lives of seven soldiers who were involved in the disaster.
The centrepiece is ‘Tree of Life’, a work designed and created by artist Heather Scott. This commemorative tree holds 216 glass discs, one for each of the soldiers from the Leith Territorial Battalion who died as a result of the crash.
Inspired by the military tags that the soldiers would have worn, each disc has the name and age of each man. The tree was produced with the support of Pilmeny Youth Centre and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Pupils from Leith Academy Prince’s Trust XL Group researched the details of all the casualties.
‘Tree of Life’ never looks out of place and it perfectly reflects the sense of loss and remembrance but manages to shape it to its surrounds in Out of the Blue.
Seven of the 7th is a powerful continuation of the Gretna 100 commemorations, which embodies local spirit and collaboration between young people and professionals. There has been a strong sense of community involvement and it shines through in this exhibition.
It is worth paying a visit to read about seven from the 7th Leith Battalion and reflect on the loss of lives through ‘Tree of Life’, in a setting which is pivotal to the commemoration and the overall story. —Rhys Fullerton
Seven of the 7th continues until 13 August 2015 at Out of the Blue (36 Dalmeny Street). Open from 10am–5pm (not Sundays). Admission free.
[Photos by Rhys Fullerton.]