ICONS Exhibition - Flora: Mother, Migrant, Survivor

6th JULY - 26th OCTOBER 2019

10.00AM - 17.00PM

Flora MacDonald is best remembered as the young woman who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from government troops after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. However, this episode was only one of the many incredible adventures which formed part of Flora's extraordinary life.

She is largely remembered as the young woman who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie “over the sea to Skye” and her life is largely recorded through the words of men. This project takes a look at the adventures she encountered over her whole life: before, during and after her encounter with the Jacobite Prince.

Engaging with women local to Perth the project has incorporated discussion and creative sessions during which Flora’s complex story has been explored from a female perspective, looking at how she might have expressed herself in her own words. Using recorded sound, visuals and curated texts and images this installation presents Flora Macdonald from a fresh standpoint, highlighting issues from her lifetime which are still relevant today.

About Belle Jones

Belle Jones is a playwright, theatre-maker and poet from Inverness. After training at the RSAMD as an actor she toured extensively with theatre and began writing for the stage. She was a mentored playwright with the Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and shortlisted for the Tron Theatre’s Progressive Playwright award. Belle is currently writing a stage play about the life of Flora MacDonald.

“I’m always drawn to the stories of women, particularly those which are unheard or underrepresented. Growing up in Inverness, where the only statue in town was one of Flora Macdonald outside the castle, I was aware of her as the romantic heroine who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after the Battle of Culloden. It was only in more recent years that I researched her story in depth and discovered there was so much more to her life than this.

I’m interested in the way women in history are represented and what makes a legendary heroine. Working with text in a number of different ways and engaging with other women during the process, I hope to present Flora’s story in an accessible and interesting way, highlighting themes from her life which are still relevant to today’s women such as family, migration and why we choose the sides we choose during conflict.”

Belle Jones : bellejones.co.uk

Perth Museum and Art Gallery is open from 10:00 – 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday.