East Lothian Covid Memorial
The East Lothian Covid Memorial project forms part of Remembering Together, a national initiative inviting Scotland's local authorities to co-create meaningful memorials that reflect their communities' experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of Stage 2 of the East Lothian programme, artist Gill White was commissioned to design the focal artworks for the project.
Gill created a series of curved silver feather sculptures, thoughtfully placed along six walking trails developed with local communities. The feathers are shaped with their spines arched gently upwards, as though just settling onto a sea wall, seat, stream, or rock. This delicate gesture reflects themes of loss, remembrance, hope, and the quiet reassurance found in nature — particularly in the movements of birds and butterflies, a symbolism echoed repeatedly in White's own words.
Her intention was to craft artworks that encourage individuals to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the simple, restorative act of walking in the landscape, something many people relied on for solace during lockdown. The feathers are installed across trails in Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans, Haddington, and North Berwick.
In addition to the sculptures, Gill White also created A Feather in Time, a short film that follows the journey of a white feather drifting through East Lothian's landscapes, accompanied by music and spoken word. The film draws inspiration from the stories gathered in the project's community audio archive.
Her work brings together art, nature, and collective memory, offering quiet places for reflection woven into the everyday paths of the East Lothian community.
Gill created a series of curved silver feather sculptures, thoughtfully placed along six walking trails developed with local communities. The feathers are shaped with their spines arched gently upwards, as though just settling onto a sea wall, seat, stream, or rock. This delicate gesture reflects themes of loss, remembrance, hope, and the quiet reassurance found in nature — particularly in the movements of birds and butterflies, a symbolism echoed repeatedly in White's own words.
Her intention was to craft artworks that encourage individuals to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the simple, restorative act of walking in the landscape, something many people relied on for solace during lockdown. The feathers are installed across trails in Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans, Haddington, and North Berwick.
In addition to the sculptures, Gill White also created A Feather in Time, a short film that follows the journey of a white feather drifting through East Lothian's landscapes, accompanied by music and spoken word. The film draws inspiration from the stories gathered in the project's community audio archive.
Her work brings together art, nature, and collective memory, offering quiet places for reflection woven into the everyday paths of the East Lothian community.
