Móti member Megumi Barrington has been researching and making work along with the Orkney Japan Association for two sister exhibitions in the Orkney International Science Festival, ‘Surf and Turf’ at The Ship of Fools Gallery Kirkwall and ‘Mother of the Sea’ at Northlight Gallery in Stromness.

An exhibition of seaweed art inspired by the work of Dr Kathleen Drew Baker, whose research saved the Japanese seaweed industry and led to her being called ‘Mother of the sea’. That name makes a link to the Orkney folktale about the ‘Mither of the Sea’ who gives life to all sea creatures, and whose battles with her old enemy Teran give rise to the equinoxial storms of spring and autumn.

Megumi Barrington Uenoyama, ‘North Ronaldsay sheep’

The contributing artists all use seaweed in printmaking, film, photography, painting, textiles and sculpture, with backgrounds as varied as their disciplines. They are Ingrid Budge, Alison Clark, Mollie Goldstrom & William Arnold, Yvonne Harcus, Joanne B Kaar, Julia Lohmann, Nancy Macdonald, Paul MacPhail, Rebecca Marr, Maya Minder & Ewen Chardronnet, Alison Moore, Judith Nixon, Julia Park, Frances Pelly, Rosey Priestman, Ami Robb, Dawn Stevens, Ingrid Stout, Megumi Barrington Uenoyama, and Miek Zwamborn.