Created by Bamff Wildland’s Dave Maric, Silent Architects combines photography, video footage, sculpture and sound to create a multisensory installation exploring the intricate worlds of these natural engineers, whose dams, pools and wetlands reshape entire ecosystems. The installation runs in The Barn’s gallery from 21–30 October.

A 30-minute beaver-inspired film, created as part of the project, will be screened once only on 26 October at 4pm in The Barn’s performance space, accompanied by a live music performance by the award-winning GBSR Duo (George Barton and Siwan Rhys). Together, the film and performance offer audiences a rare and immersive encounter with the UK’s most influential mammal.

Filmed across the wetlands of Bamff Wildland in north east Perthshire – home to the UK’s most mature modern beaver habitat – the project captures beaver activity in remarkable detail, from drone and thermal imagery to trail-camera vignettes. With contributions from salmon fishing guide Duncan Pepper, whose voice is heard throughout, and river restoration specialist Maja Pepper, who appears briefly in the film, the work also highlights how different sites across Scotland are embracing nature recovery.

Bamff Wildland, a family-run estate of farmland, woodland and wetland, has become well known for its pioneering beaver project, attracting wildlife enthusiasts and ecologists from across the country. The estate is part of the Northwoods Rewilding Network, convened by rewilding charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, which brings together nearly 100 landholdings across Scotland, all committed to restoring habitats to help wildlife thrive.

‘Beavers are nature’s silent architects,’ says filmmaker and Bamff Wildland worker, Dave Maric. ‘Through their engineering, they slow floods, filter water, create wetlands and shape habitats for countless other species. This project is as much about art as it is about ecology, reflecting on creativity and resilience – and offering a new way to see the landscape through their eyes.’

Silent Architects runs at The Barn, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, from 21–30 October. The film screening and live music performance take place once only, on 26 October at 4pm. For more information, visit: https://silentarchitects.art or https://sound-scotland.co.uk/event/dave-maric-silent-architects

ENDS