The Scaur

The Scaur [or scar] is a the intertidal zone underneath the cliffs on Whitby’s east side.

Project statement.

The Scaur explores a liminal landscape shaped by deep time, human presence, and the enduring force of nature. Located in the intertidal zone beneath the cliffs on Whitby’s east side – the artist’s home – this place exists in a constant state of transition – revealed and hidden by the tides. It is at once accessible and perilous.

Characterised by ancient rock strata and fossil traces, the Scaur evokes a profound sense of geological time. Yet it also bears the imprint of more recent human endeavour, such as alum mining as well as misfortune. The coastline has seen numerous shipwrecks, which bear witness to its danger. This tension – between sanctuary and threat, stillness and volatility – is an important part of the project.

Despite its proximity to a busy tourist town, the Scaur retains an atmosphere of mystery and wildness. It is a site of sensory and emotional resonance: the rhythmic pull of the sea, the calls of curlews and oystercatchers, and in spring the sound of skylarks. Above the cliffs, the gothic ruins of the Benedictine abbey stand as a reminder of the area’s spiritual and cultural history.

For some, the Scaur suggests melancholy and isolation; for others, it offers refuge and comfort. The project approaches the landscape as both subject and collaborator – seeking not just to document, but to reflect, meditate, and express its unique character. In doing so, The Scaur becomes an attempt to hold together its contradictions: wildness and sanctuary, presence and absence, but most of all the interconnectedness of the human and the more-than-human world.