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Sculpture by John Edgar

Ballast: Bringing the Stones Home

Explore the experience of the emigrant through stone sculpture.

John Edgar's stone sculptures tell the story of emigration - leaving the homeland, the voyage through unknown seas and the arrival in a new land.

Ballast Bringing the Stones HomeUsing stone that he collected from historic quarries in Scotland in 2005, the New Zealand artist made sculptures based on the land and the flag, the compass, trig stations and survey markers.

Mapping voyages, journeys, arrivals and departures, the stones are reunited with their homeland as part of the Year of Homecoming 2009.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 logo

This exhibition, which formed part of the Homecoming Scotland celebrations, expressed in stone the strong culture that is common to Scotland and New Zealand.

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What are these links?

Ballast: Bringing the stones home

John Edgar with the stones in New Zealand.

The Saltire stone in place in the National Museum of Scotland

The Saltire stone in the National Museum of Scotland.

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National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130