Are We Being Good Ancestors? – A Reflective Walk Through Time
Mon, 22 June 2026 @ 11:00 - 13:00
Join artist Jenny Fraser Harris for a thought-provoking walk through Elgin, exploring how our past and present shape the future.
In conjunction with the team working to redevelop Grant Lodge, artist Jenny Fraser Harris will lead for a thought-provoking walk through Elgin, exploring how our past and present shape the future.
Starting at the Elgin Plainstones, we’ll step back in time to uncover Elgin’s historic ‘forum’ before journeying through Cooper Park, Grant Lodge, the Cathedral, and beyond. Along the way, we’ll pause to personally and collectively reflect, question, and reimagine our role as ancestors of the future.
At Grant Lodge Helen Avenell, a local heritage progressional leading the National Lottery Heritage funded activity plan associated with the redevelopment of the building will give an introduction to the development works.
The walk was inspired by an AIM (Arts in Moray) artist residency programme with the Moray Way. The Moray Way Association collaborated with local artists to reimagine The Pilgrimages in Moray – A Guide to the County, a 1924 pocket guidebook featuring descriptions of walks across Moray.
Jenny’s walk drew inspiration from the ‘forum’ of Elgin, as referenced in The Pilgrimages of Moray, and was rooted in the idea of exchange and influence—both in the past and present. This sparked a reflection on cultural practices and led to the central question: Are we being good ancestors?
About Jenny:
Jenny Fraser Harris is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is rooted in cultural ecology.
“I explore themes of resilience, both human and environmental, through abstract painting, material experimentation, and reflective dialogue. My practice seeks to
stretch time and consider the long-term, whilst examining the intricate relationships between people and land. Through layers of paint and material, I uncover the interconnected, often-overlooked stories that shape our present and influence the world around us. I develop an integrate materials and pigments sourced from ‘waste’ and bio-substances, using them to contrast and amplify these narratives.
Critical reflection and open dialogue are integral to my process. My intention is to transform our understanding of time, place, and the choices we have in the present. Through highlighting the voices of future generations, I hope to foster a deeper awareness of our interconnection with nature and our collective responsibility for the future.”
AIM (Arts In Moray)
Since June 2021, the Moray Way Association has been part of the Arts In Moray (AIM) Collective, which initially received funding from Creative Scotland’s Culture Collective programme. This national pilot programme aimed to establish a network of creative practitioners, organisations, and communities working together to make a positive difference locally and nationally in response to COVID-19.
The AIM collective, which includes Dance North Scotland, Moray Arts Development Engagement (M:ADE), Wildbird, and the Moray Way Association, has employed new and radical approaches to engaging a network of creative practitioners and communities within Moray through residency programmes that have supported artists from 2021 to 2025.
The Moray Way AIM III project also featured the work of Hayley Anderson, Kate Cameron Reid, Stuart Mc Adam, and Alex Williamson. Each artist was asked to reimagine The Pilgrimages in Moray – A Guide to the County, a 1924 pocket guidebook featuring descriptions of walks across Moray. Discovered by the MWA Chair at Moray Waste Busters, this historic book was originally created to inspire both locals and visitors to explore the rich heritage of Moray. However, the author lamented the absence of illustrations, maps, and reference notes—elements that could have brought the book to life for a wider audience.
Each artist collaborated with a member of the Moray Way Association, walking the routes together. The artists then went on to refine or reimagine the routes, bringing them to life through their perspectives. Using creative and innovative approaches, they created contemporary interpretations of the walks that engaged new audiences while celebrating the stories of Moray.