Pirrie’s close | Community Artwork

Community Led

Pirrie’s Close is a community-led art project which was won based on a proposal focusing on community produced artwork driving the main content of the final piece. Isla, along with Illustrator Astrid Jaekel and Architect Chris Dobson, proposed laser cut metal artwork within one of the closes off the Canongate in Edinburgh’s historic Old Town. The project is driven by what was important to the community, collating stories of residents past and present and imagery important to them, we interpreted this into 10 panels which run the length of the close.

The selected images below show initial sketches for the proposal, printing taking place at the community workshop, and the translation of these designs into the final artwork. The artwork was then laser cut in 3mm mild steel and powder coated by EMF Manufacturing in Livingtson. Having been disrupted due to COVID the piece was finally installed in 2021, and the lighting team from the 12 Close Project, headed up by Euan Winton of Studio Winton, lit the panels to cast shadows on the close, and light the resident’s and visitors way when walking through the close.