EXHIBITION
THE ARK - WE STAND BESIDE BY JANE FRERE
26 MARCH - 19 APRIL 2026
For artist Jane Frere, the entire project that led up to this exhibition amounts to much more than hanging paintings on a gallery wall.
It embodies advocacy on behalf of millions of species, including many still unnamed or undiscovered, that form the global ecosystem. It is both a celebration of the beauty of nature and a dire warning reminding us of the threat posed by the worsening climate crisis and fast diminishing biodiversity.
Conveying its vital message, it seeks to engage with audiences who may not fully appreciate the scale of the threat to nature and to reach out to everyone in wider communities with a simple invitation to choose a creature – large or small - to ‘stand beside’ in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with all life on earth.
This participatory process has already engaged over 100 individuals whose choices are incorporated into Jane’s massive ‘tree of life’ mural, or named in her Ark’s sound installation. Prominent figures who have joined the Ark include TV naturalist Chris Packham, Scottish film and stage star Brian Cox, and author Max Porter.
“It is art as advocacy to reach people and get them to understand the urgency of the situation,” says Jane. “It shocked me to learn that wildlife species numbers have declined by 70% in my own lifetime according to the World Wildlife Fund. This exhibition and the linked events aim to alert people and encourage everyone to do something – even if they just identify one creature under threat that they choose to stand beside.”
Jane Frere - Image courtesy of the artist
The concept of the Ark took shape during the early stages of the pandemic. Jane started by focusing on some species already extinct or threatened in Scotland, such as the lynx, the wildcat and the crane. She began to wonder if so much had been lost already, what might be left to save in a symbolic ark in 50 years time. Thinking of the tiny, obscure and mostly ignored species that are an essential part of a healthy ecosystem, she studied insects, noting their fragility which she reflects in her use of fine Japanese papers in printmaking collage.
As a research-led artist, Jane values immersive experience. She became involved with the conservation charity Trees for Life working each week as a volunteer in the tree nursery at their showpiece centre at Dundreggan in Glen Moriston.
She was invited to join a panel to speak at an international conference on nature-based solutions and exhibited a large charcoal work, the Falls of Caledon, at the Oxford Natural History Museum in 2024. Following that she was invited to become a co-founder with Prof Nathalie Seddon and designer John-Paul Frazer in the newly formed ‘I Stand Beside’ initiative seeking to encourage recognition and commitment to preserve all parts of biodiversity rather than just focusing only on popular individual species like pandas and whales.
In addition to her own works, Jane has curated contributions from four more artists: Aberdeen-based Ade Adesina, Dunfermline-born Hilary Paynter, Banchory’s own Fiona Hope and Julia Barton, who lives on the Coigach peninsula north of Ullapool. Jane has also collaborated with Deeside’s master craft designer Tom Addy and basketweaver Helen Jackson to build the showpiece floating ark.
Flight to the Ark by Jane Frere
The sound sculpture housed within the Ark highlights threatened species recited in both Gaelic and English by adults and children, alongside the voices of traditional Highland storytellers (seanchaithe) Charlie MacFarlane-Barrow and Alis Ballance. The sound sculptures incorporate recordings made by Jane Frere, realised with the collaboration of Inverness based creative sound editor and musician Craig MacFadyen.
Adjoining the exhibition, is will be a display of a children’s ark created in workshops with 60 Banchory Primary P4 pupils, led by Hilary Duncan and Fiona Hope, conducted in collaboration with Deeside Climate Action Network. Each child will choose an endangered species to paint onto a small square of wood and all the paintings will be attached to the finished ark, which will be accompanied by a soundscape of children’s voices and sounds from the local environment produced by Mark Hope.
The Barn have curated a series of events which relate to the ecological themes explored in this exhibition to encourage participation and community. There are events for all ages including Creative Kids Workshops, Films, Live Music, and a Panel Discussion to close the exhibition. To see what's coming up, visit the Barn's What's On page.
The Ark - We stand Beside opens to the public on Thursday 26 March 2026, and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am - 4pm.
To find out more about the I Stand Beside initiative, please visit their website below:
To find out more about the artist and the exhibition, please visit janefrere.info/
