Gillian Neish UK
Tales of a Grandfather - Scotts Prose Works 27
Original book title: Tales of a Grandfather - Scotts Prose Works 27
Many artists have used text to give an object/book/map new meaning. The changes I have made are not simply censorship. I obliterated the words of death and hatred, disease and murder, suffering, war, greed and rape as a cathartic meditation. As if with each obliteration of a word, somewhere in the world a person would receive the blessing of its eradication by osmosis. I began by circling the chosen texts with pencil; a salt ring to stop the malevolence escaping. I then started to cover each with white gouache, the opacity obliviating the word and hopefully its negative powers. I included a letter to Scott's Grandson to be kept with the book.

My Dear boy              I must I feel treat you as a child and willingly apply the 'pet appellation' of Hugh Littlejohn Esq, for you are only 8 years old. I had earnestly wished that the book your grandfather dedicated to you would reflect the experience my own two wonderful grandfathers gave to me. Grandfathers who polished my school shoes each Sunday evening ready for Monday morning. A grandfather who rocked me on his rocking chair and patted a rhythm on my knee for comfort. These grandfathers played eye spy and told stories of my parents as children. We watched Giant Haystacks wrestle Big Daddy and filled in Pools coupons on Saturdays.       The book dedicated to you is, it seems, full of the wickedness of men. Slaying, deposing, neglect and suffering the result of fiery revolts and barbarian treachery. Your grandfather states in his dedication to you that good and evil are received at heavens pleasure, but it seems that in his writings they are both bestowed on the world at the behest of man; the latter more vehemently. Torture, rape, blood and terror overwhelm the pages of this little book. Stories of poisonings and infidels burnt alive abound. I have ringed in pencil and then cleansed and pacified in white gouache all the text associated with the worst of our grandfathers. This is not because I wish to censor the accounts, but to try and make amends for it. As if by thinking and doing such an act, it will come to pass in reality.       I would dearly love to say that in this century all little boys at the age of 8 are loved and cared for and allowed to be the children that they are. It is not so. All the history of the world told to man has not so far managed to discourage war as an answer to opposing viewpoints or religions. Indolence, cunning and duplicity continue to affect the dissatisfied in every century. Yours sincerely Gillian Neish (Master Lockhart died in December at the age of 10)

Gillian.neish@moray.uhi.ac.uk