The Bridge to Land Literacy: A Review of the Artist's Role in Understanding the Richness of the Gaelic Landscape

Abstract

The Scottish Gaelic language is richly descriptive with an inseparable tie to the landscape. Over the last 200 years, the language has almost faded to extinction, in my own family it died with my great grandparents when they were forced to move down to Glasgow from the west highlands. This dissertation examines the correlation between loss of understanding the language and disconnection from land culture in Scotland, and the role the artist plays in rekindling connection, and language revitalisation.
The increase in Community Heritage Arts Centres, such as the Inchree Barn Project, work directly with communities to inspire interest in local history via art and language. Similarly, the exhibition A Fragile Correspondence (2023) also engaged with communities to observe the correspondence between language and land and how this can give us the tools to save both for the future. This dissertation then looks at the film Dùthchas (Home) (2022) which combines archival footage with the voices of the inhabitants past and present of the isle of Berneray to discuss their connection to the language and how its loss has corresponded with a loss of community and connection to home on the island. The final example is an analysis of the contemporary exhibition Gaelic Futurisms (2025) which looks at the connection of younger generations to Gaelic in Glasgow and questioning how we can protect the language now for a better future.
We are at a pivotal point in history where we have a duty of care to protect this endangered language and the land from climate emergency. Artists could be the ones to inspire the change necessary.