Profound Divine Sky (2021) is a short film by Sekai Machache, a Zimbabwean-Scottish visual artist and curator based in Glasgow.

The film was shot in the Flow Country of the Scottish Highlands, the site of a major ecological conservation project to revive the ecosystem of the peatlands in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

Sekai utilises allegory and performance to communicate a complicated history through poesis and immersive storytelling. Through movement, and to the accompaniment of four original poems spoken by the artist, Sekai explores the ways in which Black bodies exist in rural landscapes, engaging with such themes as Scottish landscape, African metaphysics and cosmology, ritual practice, Celtic song, ritual performance, Gaidhlig language, and Black Scottish Identity. With videography and editing by Basharat Khan and score by Susannah Stark.

This event is part of the ongoing talk series Looking North Through Art: Alternative Approaches to Landscape and Energy Ethics in Scotland, produced and organised by Anne-Sophie Daffertshofer, Tori Champion, and Emma Dodds.

All ages

Running time:1h 15m

Image Caption

© Sekai Machache

Location
Table
  • Venue

    The Byre Theatre

  • Address

    Abbey Street, St Andrews KY16 9LA, UK

  • Price

    Pay What You Can £5.00 / £3.00 / £0.00 with all proceeds going to RSPB Flow Country Partners Appeal

  • Website