Scottish Diaspora Tapestry

Panel of the Scottish diaspora tapestry. Panel of the Scottish diaspora tapestry.

The Scottish diaspora tapestry is a commemorative embroidery and a form of community art work organised by Baron Gordon Prestoungrange. The tapestry was designed on the theme of the emigration of Scots around the world. Communities and institutions (such as schools) in 25 countries where Scots have settled worked on the panels.

Each diaspora community agreed to produce up to ten panels. The communities presented designs that depicted stories about how they or their ancestors left Scotland and made a new life elsewhere. Andrew Crummy, a professional artist in Scotland, re-drew the designs to obtain consistency in size, shape, lettering and so forth. Dorie Wilkie organised and led the stitchers.

The embroideries are worked on linen in coloured woollen thread using a variety of different stitches. Each panel measures 0.50 x 0.50 m. 309 panels were produced. The tapestry was initially put on display in Prestonpans, Scotland, in May 2014 and then travelled to various Scottish venues as part of the 2014 Year of Homecoming Festival in Scotland. The aim is to have the embroidery placed on display in venues associated with the places where the individual tapestry panels were made.

From the 30th May 2015 until mid-July of the same year, it was shown in the town of Veere, Zeeland, the Netherlands, to mark the age-long relationship between Scotland and this Dutch town. Six of the panels of the tapestry reflect this relationship. See a TRC blog of 1 August 2021 by Willem Vogelang, The Scots, the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry, the wool trade, and the town of Veere in Zeeland.

The ultimate goal for the Diaspora tapestry group is to have the embroidery on display together with the Prestonpans tapestry in a purpose built venue in Prestonpans, Scotland.

See also the Great Scottish tapestry.

Digital source (retrieved 1 August 2021).

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 1 August 2021).

GVE

Last modified on Sunday, 01 August 2021 12:13