New Robinson Crusoe and Alexander Selkirk exhibition opens in Kirkcaldy

A new exhibition is exploring the links between Alexander Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe, 300 years after the publication of the famous book.

Artist Roger Palmer has unveiled his latest exhibition of photography and mixed media at Kirkcaldy Galleries, blurring the lines between the marooned Scottish sailor and the fictional castaway.

Refugio: after Selkirk after Crusoe features pictures taken at Lower Largo and on Isla Robinson Crusoe, the island where Selkirk spent more than four years as a castaway.

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Roger was inspired to start work on the exhibition after finding a 20th century German children’s book, titled Robinson, at a bookshop in South Africa. One image, in particular, interested him – a picture of Crusoe and Friday, next to a huge fire.

He also became interested in the blurring of the lines between Selkirk and Crusoe.

Roger spent time in Lower Largo, capturing images from around Selkirk’s birth place, before travelling to the famous island.

“I just followed my nose,” he explained. “I like looking at spaces, how places are constructed, how new things happen, old falls into ruin.

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“I didn’t want any people in the images. I knew I was going to use the found images from the book.”

He also admitted he “couldn’t believe my luck” after discovering that the 300th anniversary of the publication of the book was coming up when he started on the project and said it was “important” to show the exhibition in Fife.

The exhibition is on show until June 23.

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