Talbot Rice Gallery is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh. An outstanding centre for art and ideas, the Gallery presents original and relevant exhibitions that are often linked to University collections and created in partnership with local communities, central to Community Plan Commitment 12. The exhibition programme at Talbot Rice Gallery is complemented by a lively and informative events programme, opening up the work of the Gallery to diverse audiences. On 3 March 2022, Talbot Rice Gallery created a special event In Another Tongue with Dr Laura Harris (Research Fellow, School of Social and Political Science), supported by an Economic and Social Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship. In Another Tongue brought together Musicians in Exile – a band comprised of refugees and asylum seekers living in Glasgow, as well as academics from across the University of Edinburgh to highlight connections between language, migration and music. Split in two parts, the event covered themes from evolutionary science, political ecologies, migration studies, translation and anthropology. Image Short talks and provocations were delivered by academics from disciplines across the University, taking the audience on a journey of what it means to communicate. Musical reflections by Musicians in Exile were interspersed throughout the event and provided a means of extending voices, thoughts and information. Image Events like In Another Tongue first grew from a desire for interdisciplinarity – one of our missions being to think about how the University can catalyse artistic production. Bringing together academics with artists and performers creates an important dialogue between different forms of knowledge production, where research and embodied understanding are placed side by side. In Another Tongue took this a step further by choosing a community partner to provide those performers. So, as well as the exiting conversations happening between different ‘disciplines’, it also became a platform for other voices. It was really about diversity, in that there weren’t any perceived hierarchies between lecturers and musicians, refugees and migrants. Everything was equally valid in capturing the subtle and profound messages of the event. James Clegg, Talbot Rice Curator The event was a creative response to Angelica Mesiti’s exhibition In the Round, an exhibition that unlocked the potential of the University of Edinburgh's collections to celebrate different forms of communication across divides, borders, cultures, languages and even species. Talbot Rice Gallery is committed to engaging local residents, community groups, charities, schools and by providing bespoke tours, events and workshops in an accessible space. In 2022, the gallery ran 15 events and showcased five exhibitions. Find out more: Arts and Culture: If you enjoy the arts and culture, you’ll find something of interest in our museums, galleries and exhibition spaces. Community Plan: Learn more about our Community Plan 2020 - 2025. This article was published on 2024-07-22
