Danielle Macleod

‘Pentland Guardian’ is probably the best piece of conceptual art that I’ve seen since moving to the Isle of Lewis. A statement I’m happy to stand by, but find difficult to justify. It shouldn’t be, it’s a photograph of a man wearing a cardigan with a bucket on his head covered with sheep’s wool, what’s not to like, I love it.

For me conceptual art is the most powerful form of visual art, it draws me in, it asks questions which rarely have answers, there’s a need to find out more and delve deeper,  I guess my logical mind needs answers so the artwork sends me on a journey and researching Danielle Macleod and her ‘Guardians’ didn’t disappoint.

The Guardians is a series of 5 performance photographs created by Danielle Macleod for her ‘Guardians’ series, it was born from anti-religion and the artists need to understand her own spirituality.

The Pentland Guardian captures her own personal journey to seek and reconnect with the wildness in a new way. It reminds us of the experiences that continually unveil themselves around us if we’re not afraid to step into the wild.

“Creating the Pentland Guardian was an exploration of being playful and embracing risk taking. The journey of creating this image has informed the rest of my practice.” 

Danielle Macleod is a mask maker and photographer based in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Her photography draws on traditional Hebridean culture, local stories and her upbringing on a windswept and untamed island on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

After graduating from Glasgow School of Art in 2020, Danielle returned to her home island and began her current practice of creating wearable sculptures from foraged and discovered natural materials. These masks and costumes are photographed and become personifications of the outer and inner wild. The models bring to life creatures that exist in an otherworld, demonstrating connection to one’s culture, tradition and place. Through working with found materials and shooting outdoors, Danielle has continued to deepen her spiritual relationship to this environment.

The folklore of the Hebrides has a rich oral tradition which generates stories that grow and change over time. Danielle’s images interpret this folklore in an alternative way that pays homage to these traditions in a visual format, and these stories she draws upon can continue to be reimagined as time moves on. 

Education

Communication Design, Glasgow School of Art BA (Hons), 2016–2020 

Exhibitions

Group Exhibitions • Legacy: Group Show for FLOW Photofest, Highland Print Studio, Inverness 2021 • RSA Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture, Edinburgh, 2022 • Street Level Open, Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow, 2022 • Na Boireannaich, by Danielle Macleod & Alice Macmillan, An Lanntair, 2022.

Solo Exhibitions • Guardians by Danielle Macleod, Island Darkroom, 2021 • Guardians by Danielle Macleod, McCallum Art House, Fort WIlliam, FLOW PHOTOFEST, 2021

Awards

The Scottish Artists’ Benevolent Association Award, 196th Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition

https://www.daniellemacleodphoto.com/