Walkers on the trails at the Forest Lodge Visitor Centre near Aberfoyle might be surprised to encounter some silent figures lurking among the trees. In fact, they are easy to miss but, once seen, are fascinating. They are the work of Scots sculptor Rob Mulholland and aim to encourage us to think about our relationship with both the natural and the man-made environment.

In 2009, Mr Mulholland created a series of six 1.8 metre high sculptures in polished stainless steel for temporary installation near what was then known as David Marshall Lodge.* The installation proved so popular, that Mr Mulholland was commissioned to create a further group of six, life-sized figures for permanent display. Describing the project on his website, the sculptor says: “Before the First World War, this area of Scotland was open hillside with small sheep farming crofts (farms) and rural communities. The crofters were moved to other land by the government as there was a desperate need for timber after the war. The area was planted with fast growing conifer trees suitable for harvesting softwood and the landscape altered once again. One can still see the faint outlines of the crofts and past settlements within the forest.”

It is these individuals, the previous residents of the area, that the sculptures represent. They stand quietly in the forest, reflecting the environment and sometimes passers-by. From some angles, they appear in outline, from others they merge into the background, barely distinguishable from the trees around them.

You can read more about these figures and Rob Mulholland’s other public art online here.

* The lodge was built by the Carnegie UK Trust in the 1950s based on the ideas of its chair David Marshall. The Trust gifted the Lodge to the Forestry Commission in 1960s but it continued to be known as David Marshall Lodge until 2013.