Even though we were only in Shetland for seven days, we managed to fit in quite a few museum trips, including Shetland Museum, Bonhoga Gallery, Crofthouse Museum and Quendale Water Mill.  Here is a selection of interesting photos snapped in passing.

Shetland Museum

Crofthouse Museum

Bonhoga Gallery

The current exhibition at the Bonhoga Gallery is Portage: Crossing Points – Digital Jewellery and although interactive craft hasn’t been something I’ve thought about in depth I’m glad I got the chance to see this exhibition. 

The three designers exhibiting are Sarah Kettley, Hazel White, and Distance Lab.

The pieces by Sarah Kettley displayed on the (beautiful) pink table are meant to be worn by different people within a group with each necklace able to pick up signals from the others.  When a wearer of one of the other necklaces is nearby, a light (with a colour that corresponds to their necklace) will start flashing, getting quicker as they grow closer.  I think this is a nice idea because if when you’re alone it would be nice to know that your friends are nearby.  And it would be handy to be able to avoid people too!

http://www.youtube.com/v/pFZeVY9XcRE&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0

This a video of Mutsugoto by Distance Lab, as it was pretty difficult to photograph.  Very nice communication idea though.

My favourite piece in the exhibition was by Hazel White, called Telling Tales, hamefarers kist.  It addresses the idea of new technology being used by different generations with small textile pieces being fitted with a computer chip (or something… I’m a bit fuzzy on the technology side of it) and when it’s placed on top of the sensor, images stored in the chip are displayed and can be looked through on a touch screen built into the box.  Images could be uploaded to each piece through flickr meaning that ,for example, grandparents can keep up to date with what you’re doing by what you upload online.