MSP aims to find out if famous West Lothian artwork can be returned from Tate Modern
Almond Valley MSP Angela Constance is bidding to find out whether an famous West Lothian artwork can be returned from the Tate Modern to a building within the community.
The MSP has written to her colleague Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture seeking advice on how to pursue the return of John Latham's artwork from the Tate Modern Gallery so it can be exhibited at the Scottish Co-op Discovery Centre, a community-led social and economic regeneration project which is transforming a historic West Calder building into a new heritage attraction and community space due to open in 2026.
Derelict Land Art: Five Sisters and the Five Sisters Bing sculpture was created by John Latham in 1976 were purchased by the Tate Modern Gallery the same year.
The Derelict Land Art: Five Sisters consisted of Wood, 14 photographs, 12 black and white gelatine silver prints on paper and 2 colour dye destruction prints, glass jar and shale.
The Five Sisters Bing, also from 1976: was a sculpture of five books spread out onto a flat book to depict the five sisters.
The Five Sisters Bings are preserved under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act, and it was proposed by Geoscientist Barbra Harvie in her 2005 report 'West Lothian Biodiversity Action Plan: Oil Shale Bings' that the area's shale bings are a unique habitat, not found elsewhere in Britain or Western Europe', a vital recreation area and 'a focus of community identity' - sharing both Latham's conceptualisation of the bings and the communities vison for the heritage centre.
Angela explained in her letter: 'It is important for the heritage of the community that the artwork is returned and displayed at the Scottish Co-op Discovery Centre as requested by the local development trust.
'West Lothian has a long and proud tradition of cooperation. It is in this spirit that we request the return of John Latham's artwork to its rightful home in West Calder.
'Latham's conception of the bings and his vision of civic responsibility for the bings' status as artwork is a celebration of co-operative values which shares the heritage centres principles focusing on community identity by preserving the past and creating a future filled with promise, opportunity, and hope.'
Matt Pearce, Project Director for the Scottish Co-operative Discovery Centre, added: 'The display spaces in the new Discovery Centre actually look out over The Five Sisters Bing and it was shale miners who started West Calder Co-operative.
'It just seems right that the artwork finds a permanent home here in our community and where anyone can appreciate it.'
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The National
5 days ago
- The National
Renowned artist's work 'should be moved from Tate Modern to Scotland'
The two pieces by John Latham – a 20th century British-Northern Rhodesian artist – were purchased by the London gallery in 1976. The first piece, Derelict Land Art: Five Sisters, is a panel with 16 photographs which show views of one of several shale heaps (known as Bings) which Latham studied in the Midlothian and West Lothian regions while on a placement with the Scottish Government agency, the Scottish Development Department. John Latham (Image: Getty Images) During his time as a civil servant there – as part of the Artist's Placement Group, which worked to place artists in administrative organisations – Latham considered the problem of derelict land, and wrote a report recommending the preservation of five of the Bing sites as monuments. The second piece is the Five Sisters Bing, a sculpture of five books spread out onto a flat book, which resembles the shape and appearance of the Five Sisters Bing, a heap of red shale with five summits which spans across 56 acres at West Calder in West Lothian. READ MORE: Fundraiser gig announced for Glasgow DJ diagnosed with untreatable brain tumour The pieces were first displayed by the Tate Modern in 1976, the year that they were created by Latham. Calls to move the artwork to Scotland have been made ahead of a new community space which is set to open in West Calder next year. Campaigners hope that the artwork can be displayed at the new Scottish Co-op Discovery Centre, a heritage attraction which is set to open in a historic building. Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley and Scottish Government Justice Secretary, has written to Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson to seek advice on how to return the artwork to Scotland. Angela Constance (Image: PA) In her letter, Constance said: "It is important for the heritage of the community that the artwork is returned and displayed at the Scottish Co-op Discovery Centre as requested by the local development trust. "West Lothian has a long and proud tradition of cooperation. It is in this spirit that we request the return of John Latham's artwork to its rightful home in West Calder." Constance added that she would "welcome any assistance your office can provide in securing the safe return of this artwork to my constituency of Almond Valley". READ MORE: £250m cash injection for nukes branded 'gimmick' as Ian Murray makes Scotland trip Constance's calls were echoed by the Scottish Co-Operative Discovery Centre, which said it "seem[ed] right" that it served as the permanent home for Latham's work. Matt Pearce, the centre's project director, said: "The display spaces in the new Discovery Centre actually look out over The Five Sisters Bing and it was shale miners who started West Calder Co-operative. "It just seems right that the artwork finds a permanent home here in our community and where anyone can appreciate it." A Scottish Government spokesperson told The National: 'As the artwork was purchased by the Tate, it is legally owned by them. "An approach for a loan or purchase would need to be made directly to Tate Modern.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Daily Record
MSP aims to find out if famous West Lothian artwork can be returned from Tate Modern
Derelict Land Art: Five Sisters and the Five Sisters Bing sculpture was created by John Latham in 1976 were purchased by the Tate Modern Gallery the same year. Almond Valley MSP Angela Constance is bidding to find out whether an famous West Lothian artwork can be returned from the Tate Modern to a building within the community. The MSP has written to her colleague Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture seeking advice on how to pursue the return of John Latham's artwork from the Tate Modern Gallery so it can be exhibited at the Scottish Co-op Discovery Centre, a community-led social and economic regeneration project which is transforming a historic West Calder building into a new heritage attraction and community space due to open in 2026. Derelict Land Art: Five Sisters and the Five Sisters Bing sculpture was created by John Latham in 1976 were purchased by the Tate Modern Gallery the same year. The Derelict Land Art: Five Sisters consisted of Wood, 14 photographs, 12 black and white gelatine silver prints on paper and 2 colour dye destruction prints, glass jar and shale. The Five Sisters Bing, also from 1976: was a sculpture of five books spread out onto a flat book to depict the five sisters. The Five Sisters Bings are preserved under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act, and it was proposed by Geoscientist Barbra Harvie in her 2005 report 'West Lothian Biodiversity Action Plan: Oil Shale Bings' that the area's shale bings are a unique habitat, not found elsewhere in Britain or Western Europe', a vital recreation area and 'a focus of community identity' - sharing both Latham's conceptualisation of the bings and the communities vison for the heritage centre. Angela explained in her letter: 'It is important for the heritage of the community that the artwork is returned and displayed at the Scottish Co-op Discovery Centre as requested by the local development trust. 'West Lothian has a long and proud tradition of cooperation. It is in this spirit that we request the return of John Latham's artwork to its rightful home in West Calder. 'Latham's conception of the bings and his vision of civic responsibility for the bings' status as artwork is a celebration of co-operative values which shares the heritage centres principles focusing on community identity by preserving the past and creating a future filled with promise, opportunity, and hope.' Matt Pearce, Project Director for the Scottish Co-operative Discovery Centre, added: 'The display spaces in the new Discovery Centre actually look out over The Five Sisters Bing and it was shale miners who started West Calder Co-operative. 'It just seems right that the artwork finds a permanent home here in our community and where anyone can appreciate it.'
BBC News
16-06-2025
- BBC News
Disabled veterans face eviction over charity cash troubles
An estate for disabled veterans is facing demolition after its charity landlord revealed plans to sell the land to estate in West Lothian has been home to tenants of Sight Scotland Veterans – formerly Scottish War Blinded – for the charity has now told residents to find new homes within a year – with 27 of them facing life on the housing comes after Sight Scotland Veterans faced losses of more than £18m over the last four years. The charity said it was working with residents and no one was facing immediate eviction. 'Every man for themselves' Linburn Park sits on the former Linburn estate, which also houses a military museum, a veterans centre and a community contains 23 homes – 10 of which have lain empty in recent decision affects a total of 13 residential properties on the site, including seven veteran tenants with vision impairment and six private also impacts three non-housing tenants - a military museum, a farmer and a garden Mackie, 71, has lived on the estate since 2015. He is partially sighted and has mobility showed BBC Scotland News a map of the proposed development site in said: "This lot is all going to go and when it does, it's because they're selling the land to a developer."We've heard 40 houses are going up, 50 houses, 400…"I asked at a meeting if [the charity] is going to give us help to find new houses. They said, 'Oh aye, we'll give you a letter that says you're out in 84 days.' That's it."He added: "It's every man for themselves. We'll have to go on the housing waiting list."There are currently 10,820 on West Lothian's list, including 1,260 live homelessness cases. Like the other residents, Mr Mackie was first made aware of the plans in a meeting on 3 June at the village community then received a letter from Sight Scotland read: "Unfortunately, it is no longer financially viable for our charity to run the estate as it is. Many of the houses are vacant, some are in disrepair and the estate is costing us more than we are earning from it."The central part of the Linburn Estate – excluding the Centre and Centenary Hall – was approved as a potential housing development site by West Lothian Council a number of years ago."Given our current financial situation, we now intend to sell the surrounding land to a housing developer and inform the council of our intentions as part of the Local Development Plan."The letter added that no deal had yet been made with a residents got in touch with Your Voice, Your BBC News. Two doors down from Mr Mackie, veteran Craig Kirkland has lived in Linburn Park with his wife Caroline for 18 53-year-old is a former infantryman with King's Own Scottish Borderers who is blind in one eye and suffers from post-traumatic stress moving there, he was the estate's groundsman and owns a parcel of land nearby and raises Kirklands said they believe homes in the estate have been left empty on continued: "It means we will need to find somewhere else. We have 12 months' notice, give or take a few months' leeway."They said if we had a private let, they'd help with the deposit. How can I go into a private let?"The couple sold their Lanarkshire home in the 2000s and signed a tenancy agreement with the believed they would stay in the community for the rest of their 52, added: "At my age, I'm not going to have a mortgage. We'd sold our house to be here."The tension here has been very harsh in the last few weeks." 'We will be homeless' Not all of the tenants are veterans. The housing was opened to private tenants due to a lack of demand from veterans with sight Fisher, 39, has cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and hearing was offered a tenancy at Linburn Park 15 years ago. His parents Kim and Paul Forbes sold their own home and moved to the area to be Keith's full-time Forbes said: "We came out here thinking it was for a lifetime, and this house would be Keith's forever."We thought we were going to here for the rest of our days. This news is devastating for all of us."She continued: "To get the three of us in a home together would be rather difficult."Keith would go into supported accommodation, which would mean he would leave the family home, and we would apply to get accommodation for over-65s."Other than that, there is no way we can go to anybody else. We will be homeless, which is very sad." Local MSP Angela Constance – who is also the Scottish government's justice secretary – met with residents to hear their concerns last told the BBC that she contacted Sight Scotland Veterans who "outlined at the top level the financial issues that they are wrestling with"."It is my job to represent my constituents and the veterans that are residents here in Linburn," she said."It has been deeply distressing. They have felt as if the rug has been pulled from under their feet."Constance said the site's history dated back to the end of the First World War. She added: "When people came to live in this community, they were told they had a house for life. That has been taken away from them."Sight Scotland Veterans – named Scottish War Blinded until 2017 – has the same board as sister charity Sight Scotland, previously known as Royal 1946, Royal Blind paid £14,000 for the estate. It was transferred to Sight Scotland Veterans eight years the decades, Linburn estate developed into a campus offering workshops, tuition and therapy for blind veterans. It also provided in recent years, both charities have faced financial strain – with the veterans' charity posting budget shortfalls between £4m and £6m each year since 2021. 'Veterans are living longer' Chief executive Craig Spalding said the number of supported veterans had increased from 1,500 to 5,500 in recent said: "Veterans are living longer, which is of course welcome, but it has resulted in more age-related sight loss and a greater need for support."Mr Spalding said income was limited and depended largely on fundraising and investment added that between 2020/21 and 2024/25 it supported services from its reserves, which have been reduced from £61.8m to £ Spalding added: "Running the Linburn Estate alone has generated a loss of almost £1m over this period."To secure our services beyond 2031, we now need to generate additional income through the sale of land, investment in income-generating assets, and increased fundraising efforts."Mr Spalding told the BBC the charity was working closely with each said: "We wish to make it clear that no one faces immediate eviction."We have started open and transparent discussions to outline our intention to sell the land for development. "Our priority is to engage constructively with all those affected and to work together to find solutions that are fair, respectful, and take everyone's circumstances into account."A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: "The council has not received a planning application or granted consent for the redevelopment of the veteran's village at Wilkieston."However, we are preparing a new Local Development Plan for West Lothian."Through the 'call for ideas' part of this process we have been made aware by Sight Scotland that they wish to dispose of this site for market and affordable homes."The spokesperson added the local authority was reviewing all of the proposals and would publish a proposed plan "in due course".
