This is an archive of the NMS website
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.
Using 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.

This exhibition, which formed part of the Homecoming
Scotland celebrations, expressed in stone the strong
culture that is common to Scotland and New Zealand.
Buy the catalogue
The catalogue to accompany Ballast: bringing the stones
home describes in-depth the five sculptures of five
sculptures; Saltire, Sett, Landmark, Flagstone and Compass with
full illustrations and complimentary related essays and poetry.
Purchase
Ballast: bringing the stones home online from our
shop.