The Ship of Fools Gallery in Kirkwall’s Bridge Street will be formally launched on the evening of Wednesday 14 June with an opening celebration of the Summer Show from 5pm to 8pm.

The show gathers together a carefully curated group of local artists work created in Orkney, including new landscape works by Lesley Mackay, glasswork by Donna Eunson, textile collage by Clare Gee and Robert Andrews’ ‘Robomofos’ robots. Other works will be added as the Summer goes on.

The Gallery is the brainchild of Maiwenn Beadle, whose own work features themes and motifs from her travels in the Caribbean, the Arctic and in Orkney. Originally trained as an artist, she has spent her life at sea and is currently between trips as a superyacht captain, having successfully transited the Northwest Passage last summer.

Appropriate then, that she is now the owner of a building with many nautical associations at 21-Bridge Street. The former home of John Jolly, the shipping agency, now houses studio space for architect Leslie Burgher; Kirsteen and Anne Stewart and Mary Grieve.

“The Ship of Fools is an allegory by Plato of a group of people setting off on a journey without knowing where it will take them or even realising what the voyage will entail. It seems very appropriate to the exploration of the world by artists rather than the cold hard science which is so much a part of my professional career.”

The Captain’s House is bringing much-needed colour and life to Bridge Street, such that it’s hard to step out of the building without stepping into someone’s Instagram shot. It is also fulfilling the need for exhibition space for high quality work by local artists. The venue will be used for an exhibition by the Science Festival in September and is available for booking for both solo and group shows.

The show will be open from Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm and at other times by appointment. More information is available @shipoffoolsgallery on Instagram or @Captain’s House Kirkwall on Facebook