Margaret Tait: Origins and Influences | Screening and Q&A at The Pickaquoy Centre

We’re delighted to present a special screening held to coincide with the unveiling of a Historic Environment Scotland commemorative plaque at the birthplace of filmmaker and poet, Margaret Tait. The screening will be introduced by Sarah Neely (Director, ​‘Margaret Tait 100’) and will be followed by a short Q&A. ​‘Margaret Tait: Origins and Influences’ will take place at The Phoenix Cinema at The Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney, on Thursday 14 July at 6pm. Tickets are free, and available to book via our eventrbite booking link.

The unveiling of the Historic Environment Scotland commemorative plaque will take place before the screening on Thursday 14 July at 5pm at 25 Broad Street, Kirkwall. Alison Miller, a poet and National Library of Scotland’s ​’Scots Scriever’ will read at the event. As part of this programme, artist Julia Parks is also leading a workshop at The Pier Arts Centre, followed by a screening of Julia’s work, on Friday 15 July at 6pm.

The programme includes work by Tait shown alongside a selection of films by other filmmakers, friends and collaborators. Works include ​‘La rose et le réséda’ (1947), a film Tait first saw in the 1940s which gave her the idea ​‘of using a known poem as the basis for a highly personal kind of film’, as well as films by artists and filmmakers, Peter Todd, Ute Aurand, Takahiko Iimura, Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart.

This screening is the final event of Margaret Tait 100, a programme celebrating the centenary of the birth of Scotland’s pioneering filmmaker and poet, Margaret Tait (1918 – 1999). The programme launched in November 2018 on the occasion of Tait’s birthday, and included screenings, exhibitions, workshops, readings, new publishing, and commissioning opportunities for artists working with film and moving image.The Margaret Tait 100 programme was run in partnership with LUX Scotland, University of Glasgow, the Pier Arts Centre, and a number of event partners, supported by Creative Scotland.

With special thanks to the Margaret Tait Estate and The Pickaquoy Centre for hosting the event.

‘Begone Dull Care’, Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart, 1949

‘Three Portrait Sketches’, Margaret Tait, 1951

‘La rose et le réséda’, André Michel, 1947

‘The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo’, Margaret Tait, 1955

‘KUZU (Junk)’, Takahiko Iimura, 1962

‘Colour Poems’, Margaret Tait, 1974

‘Glimpses from a Visit to Orkney in Summer 1995’, Ute Aurand, 2020

‘A Portrait of Ga’, Margaret Tait, 1952

‘For You’, Peter Todd, 2000

‘Garden Pieces’, Margaret Tait, 1998