The Cockatrice’s Egg

Perceptions of Shetland,
by Joy Parker and Robert Leach

Unit Four: The Cornucopia Room, 4 Towerdykeside, Hawick TD9 9EA

Exhibition and book launch:
The mythical Shetland cockatrice was an evil, dragon-like being who ran amok in the islands and could only be stopped by being burned to death. And though the cockatrice was male, he could reproduce himself by laying an egg. What hatched from the egg was surprising, strange and sometimes life-changing.
This fantastic traditional story lies behind a new collaborative work by the artist Joy Parker and writer Robert Leach. With financial backing from Creative Scotland, they journeyed from the Scottish Borders to the far northern isles where for a month they stayed in Scalloway and explored the Shetland Islands. The end product was this unusual book, a series of poems and prints which make up a montage of discoveries and responses.

Joy Parker is a visual artist working in a range of mediums. Robert Leach’s poetry often gives new insights and unexpected understandings. Their time in Shetland has inspired them to take this joint work in new and original directions.