About Hulabhaig

Since 2019 Hulabhaig has been curating online and cloud exhibitions for artists from across the Hebrides, as well as exploring possibilities at Baile na Cille church in Uig on the west coast of the Islae of Lewis.
And now for 2025 and beyond I will be curating the Hulabhaig Collection (Cruinneachadh Hulabhaig).

Hulabhaig Past and Present

For articles about Hulabhaig including links to previous online or 'Cloud' exhibitions please select from the list below.

A New Chapter for Hulabhaig

Hulabhaig sees curator become collector.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Tiugainn Dachaidh by Fraser MacBeath

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Cruinneachadh Hulabhaig The Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporary Art.Collecting art has always been a far off distant wish for me, reserved for rich arty types wanting to inflate egos or make a bob or two, requiring deep pockets and plenty of space to enjoy it. Fortunately, that’s not me, my limited income and rented accommodation has in the past always limited my collecting ambitions.However,&nbsp; now the time feels right. I’ve settled here on the Isle of Lewis, and as I move into ‘semi-retirement’, I’ve finally reached the favourable position of living mortgage and rent free, and together with a commitment to go alcohol free, I can now set aside a small annual budget for spending on contemporary art for the collection.Collecting art has to come from the heart, it’s a personal thing, art speaks to its viewer in many different ways, evoking memories, intrigue, beauty, shock, ambivolence, meloncholy, all personal emotional responses. This is what I want to collect, ‘Emotions’.Collecting contemporary art can also have a role to play, it can tell a story, showcase current art practice, explore art history and educate.The Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporary Art, will aim to be my personal response and documentation of the art and artists from the these Islands.&nbsp; By focussing on Scottish island contemporary art I hope to give the collection an important 'local' significance, helping to create an 'Identity' for island contemporary art practice within the wider contemporary arts culture.This website will be my way to visually share the collection to a global audience, and in doing so, I hope to open up a general dialogue about Island Contemporary Art.Initially as a personal collection, in time I hope it could become an important asset to the islands artist communities, and eventually find a permanent island home where it can be opened to the public.

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A New Chapter for Hulabhaig

Hulabhaig sees curator become collector.

Cruinneachadh Hulabhaig
The Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporary Art.

Collecting art has always been a far off distant wish for me, reserved for rich arty types wanting to inflate egos or make a bob or two, requiring deep pockets and plenty of space to enjoy it. Fortunately, that’s not me, my limited income and rented accommodation has in the past always limited my collecting ambitions.

However, now the time feels right. I’ve settled here on the Isle of Lewis, and as I move into ‘semi-retirement’, I’ve finally reached the favourable position of living mortgage and rent free, and together with a commitment to go alcohol free, I can now set aside a small annual budget for spending on contemporary art for the collection.

Collecting art has to come from the heart, it’s a personal thing, art speaks to its viewer in many different ways, evoking memories, intrigue, beauty, shock, ambivolence, meloncholy, all personal emotional responses. This is what I want to collect, ‘Emotions’.

Collecting contemporary art can also have a role to play, it can tell a story, showcase current art practice, explore art history and educate.

The Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporary Art, will aim to be my personal response and documentation of the art and artists from the these Islands.

By focussing on Scottish island contemporary art I hope to give the collection an important 'local' significance, helping to create an 'Identity' for island contemporary art practice within the wider contemporary arts culture.

This website will be my way to visually share the collection to a global audience, and in doing so, I hope to open up a general dialogue about Island Contemporary Art.

Initially as a personal collection, in time I hope it could become an important asset to the islands artist communities, and eventually find a permanent island home where it can be opened to the public.

Tiugainn Dachaidh by Fraser MacBeath

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator

23/Sep/2024

Hulabhaig (not) at Baile na Cille!

After 5 years exploring possibilities at Baile na Cille church in Uig, its time to move on.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Hulabhaig at Baile na Cille

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As you may know Baile na Cille church recently changed ownership, and in trying to progress with Hulabhaig's mission to explore its potential as a contemporary arts venue I invited local artists, including renown RSA academicians, curators and members of the Uig community to help me form a group to manage future events at Baile na Cille church that would help the new owners to develop the church into an artist led art space for the benefit of the local community and island wide artists.Sadly, our proposals and ambitions as a group didn’t seem to fit comfortably with the new owners future plans for the building, who have now set up their own ‘steering group’ which will manage events at Baile na Cille church.In an attempt to progress on my own with ‘Hulabhaig at Baile na Cille church’ I continued to discuss ideas and present proposals to the new owners, but unfortunately, over the last few months, I have felt that Hulabhaig’s vision to focus on artists and to encourage the creation of new work is now unlikely to be attained by working under the new ‘steering group’, so a parting of ways has been becoming more and more inevitable.I feel I’ve achieved what I initially set out to do, which was to show that the church did have a future as a place for art. I also believe the new owners aims are still to see it utilised as an arts venue but, sadly I guess their own commercial needs will somehow take priority over the needs of artists and the community.It is sad that this type of project is so difficult to get up and running and then is almost impossible to be sustainably maintained despite all the support I have had from artists across the islands and beyond, but ultimately it needs money to keep curatorial control and when public funds are not an easy option, relying on private sources will inevitably lead to conflicts of interest and the watering down of ideals.Despite this I do wish them all the best in their new venture.

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Hulabhaig (not) at Baile na Cille!

After 5 years exploring possibilities at Baile na Cille church in Uig, its time to move on.

As you may know Baile na Cille church recently changed ownership, and in trying to progress with Hulabhaig's mission to explore its potential as a contemporary arts venue I invited local artists, including renown RSA academicians, curators and members of the Uig community to help me form a group to manage future events at Baile na Cille church that would help the new owners to develop the church into an artist led art space for the benefit of the local community and island wide artists.

Sadly, our proposals and ambitions as a group didn’t seem to fit comfortably with the new owners future plans for the building, who have now set up their own ‘steering group’ which will manage events at Baile na Cille church.

In an attempt to progress on my own with ‘Hulabhaig at Baile na Cille church’ I continued to discuss ideas and present proposals to the new owners, but unfortunately, over the last few months, I have felt that Hulabhaig’s vision to focus on artists and to encourage the creation of new work is now unlikely to be attained by working under the new ‘steering group’, so a parting of ways has been becoming more and more inevitable.

I feel I’ve achieved what I initially set out to do, which was to show that the church did have a future as a place for art. I also believe the new owners aims are still to see it utilised as an arts venue but, sadly I guess their own commercial needs will somehow take priority over the needs of artists and the community.

It is sad that this type of project is so difficult to get up and running and then is almost impossible to be sustainably maintained despite all the support I have had from artists across the islands and beyond, but ultimately it needs money to keep curatorial control and when public funds are not an easy option, relying on private sources will inevitably lead to conflicts of interest and the watering down of ideals.

Despite this I do wish them all the best in their new venture.

Hulabhaig at Baile na Cille

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator

23/Sep/2024

Turning Eighty Five

Turning Eight Five was the final show for Hulabhaig at Baile na Cille, and probably the most visited. Such potential sadly lost. My thanks to John Hayes and Louise Scullion for making it happen.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Cotton Grass

Fon Uachdar/Beneath the Surface

Curated by Jon Macleod, this show was well received. With beautiful bronze peats and glass castings from Shaun Fraser and an array of small but powerful ink on paper works from Katie Harris Macleod.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Memories by Katie Harris-Macleod

ART and MEMORY - EALAIN is CUIMHNE

Featuring collaborative work by 6 artists with Uig links and artwork by Uig School P4 to P7 for the Metagama Centenary Schools Project.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Aignish Memorial, Isle of Lewis, 1996 by Will Maclean & Marian Leven. Photograph Robin Gillanders

An Dubh is an Dearg - The Black and the Red.

Local artist and sculptor Rupachitta Robertson shows new work created during an exploration of thoughts, materials, photography and sound inspired by Baile na Cille church, studying themes of the chur...

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Uig Open (Winter Show)

70 artworks from 60 artists. Exploring Western Isles' connections from the local to the global.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Plastic

Invited Artist Group Show

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 23/Sep/2024

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Plastaig - Installation by Màiri NicGillìosa.

Exposure

EXPOSURE was a collaboration between musician, sound artist and photographer Giles Perring and filmmaker and painter Andy Metcalf, carried out, principally, on the Isle of Jura.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 22/Sep/2024

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Coming On by Andy Metcalf

Curating My Bedroom

Work from home, if at all possible, they said! Conceptual art from artists across the UK.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 17/Sep/2021

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Uig Open 2020

Hulabhaig was pleased to show work from artists across the globe in this first Uig summer art exhibition.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 17/Sep/2020

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Lockdown Escapism

Four artists seeking escapism through abstraction from very strange times indeed.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 31/Aug/2020

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A Cold Alter by Margaret Uttley and Core by Marianne Broch

A Work in Progress

The first show at Baile na Cille church, curated by Hulabhaig.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 31/Jan/2020

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The Beasts of Holm

A Cloud Exhibition of New Work from Six Hebridean Artists Inspired by The Iolaire Tragedy of 1919.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 18/Sep/2019

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Of Sea & Land

Hulabhaig was delighted to present a new collection of large abstract artworks on canvas and a selection of smaller scale artworks on paper from renown Isle of Harris artist Geoff Stear.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 18/Sep/2019

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Cloud Exhibitions

Where it all started.

Andy Laffan, Hulabhaig Curator : 18/Sep/2018

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