Orchard - Edinburgh Festival Guide

The poetic names of older varieties of apple trees, many of which are now endangered - such as Embroidered Apple, Hoary Morning and Swan’s Egg - are the basis for a new set of collaborative works by the poet Gerry Loose and the artist Donald Urquhart.

Starting with a selection of Victorian engravings, Loose has added a text inspired by old descriptions of apples grown in Scotland. Each annotated engraving is set alongside a block of colour by Urquhart, drawn from a spectrum of the tones of fully ripe fruit.

In its quiet, subtle combination of image, text and colour, Orchard is simultaneously a lament for the loss of varieties and a celebration of that rich variety.

Running time: 540 mins