Shetland By Numbers
Gaada is pleased to announce the new publication Shetland By Numbers by Walter Scott. This has been a private project of the organisation to design and produce a printed version of the late Shetland Botanist’s personal website of the same name, which documents Walter’s lifelong quest to explore every inch of his home isles and was a core inspiration to Gaada’s 2021/22 art programme Safeland. This programme saw many artists and community groups in Shetland using Shetland By Numbers to spark their own investigations and reflections on their own deep connections to these islands. This work had a lasting impact on Gaada’s vision and mission, and has seen us continue to revisit Walter Scott and Shetland By Numbers, which is why, three years on, we have decided to finally publish our printed take on Walter’s ephemeral website.
Why on earth did you turn a website into a book?
There are two very good reasons! At the time of originally designing this publication in late 2022, Walter’s website was due to expire permanently. It made sense this would happen some time after his passing, however we were pleased to find mysterious benefactor began renewing it year-by-year. A printed copy archives this work just incase this ever happens.
The second and most important reason relates to the Walter Scott Botanical Archive, a collection of 14 large ledgers, full of meticulous documentation of Walter’s explorations and observations recorded throughout his life. Shetland By Numbers, and it’s 21 individual projects are not mentioned within these journals. Rather, the website acts as an index of these invisible works - with many of the projects painstakingly referenced to his archive botanical field notes and maps, either by date or by Journal Volume/Page number. He was making links, and providing a way in. When visiting Walter’s archives (held within the Shetland Museum & Archives) it felt essential to have a printed copy of the website to hand as an aid navigate Scott’s vast collection of notes through the lens of Shetland By Numbers. Thus, the need for designing and producing this publication arose!
Walter’s journals are filled with humorous, poetic and often poignant observations.
Gaada has donated a copy of the publication to the Walter Scott Botanical Archive so now any visitor can easily navigate Shetland By Numbers in person!
If you wish to own a copy, a limited number are available in the Gaada shop with the kind permission of Walter’s family.
Below you can find out more about some of the artist responses to Shetland By Numbers that emerged from Gaada’s 2021/22 Safeland art programme.
Shetland by Numbers - Incomplete Project #1
Salt-water Islands
To land on (or touch by hand when sea conditions or the shape of an island precluded a safe landing) around half of all the islands which are cut off at low tide but are not submerged at high tide and appear as such on the 1:25, 000 Ordnance Survey maps.
— Walter Scott, Shetland by Numbers
Sally Huband - Salt-Water Island
Huband’s response explores the joy that can be present in needing the help of others to access places, and how this help or care can bring mutual joy. It looks at how chronic illness can sometimes mean the heightened islandness or isolation of a bodymind.
Shetland by Numbers - Incomplete Project #3
Kilometre Squares
To stand on (or touch by hand when sea conditions or the shape of the available land precludes a safe landing) as many as possible of the 1 km squares of the Ordnance Survey National Grid within which there is some land, of any size, and which is above high water in calm conditions.
— Walter Scott, Shetland By Numbers
Artist Commission
Jen Hadfield - Kokkilorie
Hadfield’s beautifully presented book presents the reader with a microscopic poem or gentle instruction for each day throughout the month of June. Kokkilorie is the Shaetlan word for Daisy - the plant whose bloom peaks in the same month.
Shetland by Numbers - Incomplete Project #7
Holms in Freshwater Lochs
To visit all 350 holms in freshwater lochs known to me, regardless of the size of the loch ….. All must be capable of comfortably supporting two or more persons, and be surrounded by water deep enough to prevent access from the shore in shoes, even in dry summers.
— Walter Scott, Shetland by Numbers
Artist Commission
Through her publication, Da Holmliwatters, Dennison brings together a durational exploration of a place full of both personal meaning and magic.
Shetland by Numbers Incomplete Project #18
Schools
To visit 35 of the 36 schools which were in use in 2012 or which came into use after that date. The Foula Primary School has not been visited.
— Walter Scott, Shetland by Numbers
Artist Commission
The Foula Ranger Service partnered with bairns from the Primary School to develop a unique artist book which documented the games, journeys, and observations of the isles young folk living in Shetland’s most remote island.
Foula Primary School - Project Play
