Pier Arts Centre, Stromness

The Pier Arts Centre was established in 1979 when the author and peace activist, Margaret Gardiner (1904 — 2005), donated her collection of work by the St Ives School to Orkney.

Situated at the edge of the harbour in Stromness, the arts centre occupies buildings and a pier that once housed the former Hudson’s Bay Company. After the completion of a contemporary extension by Reiach & Hall Architects, the Pier reopened to the public in July 2007.

Regarded as one of the finest collections of its kind in the UK, the centre represents a key period of British Modernism with works by Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Naum Gabo, as well as work by a younger generation of associated artists — Patrick
Heron, Margaret Mellis and Peter Lanyon.

The collection continues to develop with the addition of a number of works by international artists. Light, colour and landscape are themes that form the backdrop to contemporary additions by Sean Scully, Olafur Eliasson, Camilla Low, Anish Kapoor and Gary Fabian Miller.

Editor's note:
The collection display rotates at different intervals. There is an ongoing and dynamic contemporary art programme which resonates wonderfully with the permanent collection. From London it takes some time to reach Orkney.

It also takes a good deal of time from Edinburgh or indeed Aberdeen; however this is a journey not to be missed. The Pier Arts Centre, even before the redevelopment, was an important place to discover, but now it is a must, so book yourself a trip.