I have a long connection with Newstead Abbey ,from visiting regular as a child with my family, to working in the kitchens , to later working there as an independent with my mobile vintage tea room.
As part f the brief, I have been invited to make some work to display within the house, which is a fascinating prospect and again is asking me to look at this place with fresh eyes, I had always assumed a connection to slave trade and exploitation but I did not realise just how much of the wealth of the Abbey was built upon the this.
The museum currently has a collection of works and words produced by black artists in reaction to The abbeys historic connection with slavery.
Mr Brown said the exhibition was an artistic and community-based response to a University of Nottingham report, commissioned by the estate, on Newstead's black and colonial connections.
"We wanted to do something public-facing and give a platform to black voices to respond to that history," he said.
"The idea was to invite artists, academics, writers and members of the community to give a diverse range of black voices."
Above is an exert from the bbc website on the exhibition curated by Simon Brown.
It's really great to see Newstead is moving with the times and seeking to re investigate these aspects of its past and invite discussion and openness on this subject.
Artist Honey Willaiams made this work in reaction to Byrons teapot and its currently displayed above it.
I also feel drawn to the teapot through my own work at the Abbey so I'm looking into my connection and how that may be expressed in the subject of privilege?
I think compared to people living there, 100. 200. 300 years ago our modern lifestyle offers a sense of privilege never know before, at least from the outside. however there is still a massive gap between rich and poor, and though society may seem to be more equal I think now its just a bit more insidious and hidden from sight.
I'm interested in collage as an extension of my curiosity box into the Newstead project with the idea of curating an image from, the many memories, objects and ghosts of Newstead that tell of its privileged status and the ghosts of the worlds this privilege has effected, along with the original spiritual intent of the abbey as a priory mixed with my own intuitive response.
I visualise, something gothic/ dream like but in keeping with the age of the building. I cant decide yet if it will be black and white, or with the addition of gold leaf/ blue/ white ink water colour/ willow pattern as its a colour combination I feel very drawn to for this project.
Im thinking a combination of photographs, I've taken along with linocuts, purpose made and some found images. I will present it in a traditional gold frame. these are my initial thoughts.
Below are photographs taken from our initial visit to Newstead, So much visual input, here are just a few things that took my interest..
Comments
Post a Comment