MAMBA by textile artist and designer Alice Starmore is an acronym for “Miles and Miles of Beauty Astounding”. It is an unapologetic celebration of the boundless open moor of North Lewis and what it encloses, contains and represents. Primarily a blend of photographic and mixed-media images the show is divided into 5 sections: 1 – Dùiltean Elements; 2 – Tòiseachadh Beginning; 3 – Ionmhasan Treasures; 4 – Fionnsgeulan Legends and 5 – Na h-Àirighean The Sheilings. It also features a number of tapestries based on moorland colours and themes.
Alice Starmore is from Lewis and has made an international reputation as a leading expert on knitting design and technique. As a professional textile designer she has lectured throughout Britain, Europe and has a huge following in the United States in particular. She has published 16 books and is co-founder of Windfall Press, named after the steam drifter that her father worked on out of Stornoway. Her books on Fair Isle and Aran are regarded as the standard texts on these subjects.
The exhibition is supported by Scottish Natural Heritage, the RSPB, Windfall Press, Morven Gallery and Reefnet.