Cashlin MacKenzie – “Tobraichean mo Sinnsearan/ The Wells of my Ancestors”
TX: Tuesday, 8th April – 12:30 – 12:45pm / Thursday, 10th April – 6:30 – 6:45pm BST
The piece ‘Tobraichean mo Sinnsearan’ is a layered Gaidhlig soundscape weaving memory and place, anchored in the voice of my great grandfather ‘Tuam Ross’ (1876-1960). The piece is derived from field recordings taken by my Great Uncle and Great Aunt (James and Anne Ross) for ‘The Scottish School of Studies’ aural archive in 1957. In the field recordings they interview ‘Tuam’ on the uses and behaviours of the different wells and springs of his local area (Fàsach, Glendale) on the Isle of Skye.
Some wells would dry up or get warm in the summer, while others would stay freezing cold at all times of year. There are some wells which are known to have healing properties. There is one he would visit to get water for his sisters or brothers when they were sick. His aged voice carries stories of water, earth, and tradition—of wells that served not just as lifelines, but as spiritual landmarks in the community. These transcripts are layered with contemporary field recordings I’ve taken at ‘Loch Shianta’- a health spring on the Isle of Skye located close to where my family was from.
Cashlin is a Gaelic-speaking artist and experimental musician. Her work explores themes related to ecology and often investigates capitalism’s relationship with nature and the human psyche. She enjoys examining subjects from different perspectives—ranging from the micro to the macro. She plays with time and the viewer’s subjective understanding of space to reveal hidden perspectives and create illusions.
‘Tobraichean mo Sinnsearan’ is a co-commission between Kunst zum Hören ORF Ö1 and Radiophrenia.
