Wednesday 28 December 2011

PIGEON ENGLISH

I recently presented my proposal for a Ceramic Installation as part of a collaborative project between Bath Spa University and The Holburne Museum, Bath.
The Holburne Museum, originally used as a hotel, is housed in an imposing regency building adjacent to Sidney Gardens, Bath.
The Museum has recently undergone a £10 million refurbishment to add a glass wing to the rear garden elevation of the building. One of the aims of this ambitious project was to facilitate a spiritual reconnection of the Museum with Sidney Gardens beyond.
When visiting the museum, I'm intrigued by the vistas from within the building, which lead your gaze to the outside and beyond, there is a fluidity of energy here, which flows seamlessly from the outside in, and the inside out.
Elements I have considered when developing the idea for this project are:

  • Bringing the exterior in and the interior out, to further strengthen the sense of Museum and Gardens being conjoined.

  • The historical context of the building, as an emporium of elegant dining.

  • The museum’s collection of decorative English tableware.
The site for the installation is the unusual glazed space (which I view as a cabinet) that has been created surrounding the new café.
This is a hinterland between the Gardens and the House/Cafe, the exact point where the to elements meld as one.



From the Gardens I introduce pigeons, birds largely associated with public open spaces and also for gracing the menus of regency dining tables.


                            David Shrigley 1996       http://www.davidshrigley.com

From the museum I introduce the vibrant coloured glazes and metal lustres used to decorate the English tableware. These sweet sugary colours give reference to the sugar paste ornaments, which were created to decorate the Georgian dining table.
The pigeons will dine alongside the Museum Café customers.
I intend this work to encourage enquiry from the onlooker, provoking curiosity to explore the connection between my work and it’s context within the museum.






Thursday 8 December 2011

LAND OF LOST CONTENT

National museum of British Popular Culture. 
http://www.lolc.org.uk
Can't wait to visit this intriguing Museum in Shropshire.
Meet Stella Mitchell on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nox91qj26M4