Ralph Tonge Photography
A prestigious national prize has been awarded to a piece of public art which celebrates the resilience of a community and their enduring commitment to their home.
The PSSA (Public Statues and Sculpture Association) Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture was bestowed upon na Dorsan, which was commissioned by Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (UOG) to mark 100 years of the resettlement of Galson, North Lewis.
In 1924, some 60 years after the community was cleared to make room for a sheep farm, 52 families returned to the land. A century later, na Dorsan, which means The Doors in Gaelic, was formally unveiled. It was designed by artists Will Maclean and Marian Leven with stonework by Chris Barrowman. It fuses past and present, with stone from old dwellings on the estate - once the homes of those cleared - among the material used.
The Foundation supported the creation of na Dorsan with a £5,000 award and trustees joined together in congratulating the project team on this national success. The award, announced in October 2025, celebrates outstanding contemporary public sculptures or monuments installed in the previous year across the UK.
Ena Baxter was an acclaimed artist, specialising in still life works, and projects in the arts and heritage are among those supported by The Gordon & Ena Baxter Foundation.
Images: Ralph Tonge Photography