Sara Grisewood
Research Folio MA Painting UAL
Visit to the Keep
To look at references to Green Wall and maps of Lewes
East Sussex Record Office
Falmer
August 2019
The building opened in 2013 and was specially designed to store huge quantities of records including the Mass Observation Project. (The Mass Observation Project (MOP) is a unique national life writing project about everyday life in Britain, capturing the experiences, thoughts and opinions of everyday people in the 21st century. In the Keep are the records from 1937 to 1949. This would be fascinating to look at for another future project).
Because everything has to be kept at low temperature for preservation reasons, it was freezing in the actual reading rooms and the map room. Everyone who worked there was wearing big warm fleeces, even though it was boiling hot outside. I was overwhelmed by the quantities of stuff/documents there. There was a woman from Brighton looking for history of her street and they found her an old plan of the street drawn/painted by hand on linen; it was beautiful.
I looked at the older maps of Lewes by John deWard, dated 1657, showing shapes of small pieces of land, called laines, and who they belonged to. The lettering on the maps and drawings of small houses and small medieval looking Lewes, was fascinating and beautiful. Some of the field boundaries and town walls are still in existence. The staff were especially helpful with looking at a big vertical metal cabinet of ordnance survey maps that opened from the front and then had big central hooks that the maps hung off; there were hundreds of maps, often several for one year, and that was just in one of the cabinets. I looked close up at a couple of them from just before the 2ndworld war : damaged and repaired, hand coloured with pastel pale blues and pinks, pale green and lots of handwritten numbers and all the street names that are no longer there where Brook Street car park is. I like the idea of the shapes of car parks echoing the shapes of vanished terraces and communal backyards.
I ordered up the few references I had found to Green Wall. Some of them couldn’t be accessed because they belonged to National Monuments office – Green Wall is a listed monument apparently ! the references were scant and mostly concerned building applications and plans, predominantly by John Every, owner of Phoenix Ironworks. One for a community hall, The Phoenix Institute dated 1871, which wasn’t actually built, but was to be a space for workers from the foundry, to have events etc.
I looked at quite a few plans and applications, and the envelopes, the gloves the handling methods were interesting for these very delicate pieces of tracing paper and drawing paper, I particularly liked the way they lay with the folds in their memory. And the delicate hand lettering and pale hand colouring of all of them.
Looking at these paper archives, maps and records, was inspiring in terms of the large pieces of map type papier mache that I am making for the final show. The layers of papier mache echoing the layers of maps made at different times, for different purposes. The shapes of pale coloured collaged forms referencing ghosts of streets and irregular car park shapes.
I also like the more random references to Green Wall, the sorry end of an elderly inhabitant : this one a coroners verdict dated 1921 :
Charles Beard, 4 Green Wall, Lewes, 84 ; drowned in river Ouse, no evidence as to how he came to be in the water.
I am going to add in here some quotes from Colin Brent which I read before my visit who has written extensively on local Lewes history, Georgian and pre-Georgian. Here are his references to Green Wall which led me to look up certain documents at the Keep :
There is something very evocative of the times when the river Ouse was fully navigable and was a busy transport route for all sorts of commodities :
John DeWard sketched a ferry boat in 1620. He drew another some 500 yards downstream, reached from the West by a bank known as Greenwall in 1457.
I particularly like this reference to supplying Stanmer House ( one of the focal points of Denise Harrison, fellow students research in Brighton) :
On the Borough bank, Ralph Pope worked the tannery at Green Wall, from which Richard Puxty shipped leather to Ostend in 1716 and supplied cow-hair to plasterers at Stanmer House. Near the tannery, perhaps, laboured John Foule soap boiler, whose wife was buried at St Johns in 1673.
I also like the reference here to the land occupied ‘in common’ , today we have very little land that wholly belongs to the public, to us.
In 1799 Saint John’s Common stretched from the ‘common spring’ below St Johns camp to the north end of Green Wall, where a tan-yard was built on waste granted to Thomas Trayton in 1609-10. The Green Wall was occupied in common ‘by the whole town’ about 1570 and a ‘fine row of elms’ shaded a public foot way along it till the winter of 1778 – 9.
And the mention of Lynchets, and how a more recent street name reminds of a much earlier time :
Prehistoric farmers ploughed terraced lynchets on Cliffe Hill and crowned Mount Caburn with a mighty Iron age rampart. (this explains the naming of streets on Malling hill, The Lynchets)
Hauser & Wirth, Bruton, Somerset
July 2019
Exhibition : Unconscious Landscape
Works from Ursula Hauser collection.
This exhibition comprised 65 works by female artists, many of whom the collector had built personal, long-standing relationships with. The title comes from a piece by Louise Bourgeois, a bronze sculpture, 1967, about delving into the subconscious. Also by Bourgeois in the exhibition are examples of her Portrait cells, sculptural forms in cell-like structures, and a large bronze spider piece, the spider representing the maternal figure, and also referencing her mother who was a weaver. Themes of motherhood, sexuality and vulnerability run throughout the show. A Painting by Maria Lassnig, motorcycle Grandmother, demonstrate links with bodies and surrealism, and very much using the landscape of the body to explore feelings and identity. There are two relief works by Eva Hesse, especially interesting to me in use of papier mache combined with other mixed media, and use of colour. The work of Carol Rama, again uses unlikely materials, such as rubber, and her collages, simple forms and everyday, rough materials resonate with me.
I visited this show with my son who lives nearby in Frome. We had recently had a time of difficult communication and spending time together that day was important - the journey to Bruton, the walk across fields to the gallery, and the sunshine. Particularly worth watching, its available on line, was the film with Ursula Wirth discussing her reasons for collecting these particular artists with her daughter Manuela. At one point we were both moved to tears by her words on the use of particular materials by these women artists, and how often their work alludes to the difficult lives they have had, as women, and how this shows through their work, the techniques and materials. I know the collection is worth millions of pounds and the collector has a very comfortable life herself, however her comments on growing up with her mother who was a dressmaker and how she was drawn to collect work by these women from the 60s - a time of opening up around sexuality and freedom for women, who were experimenting with different materials, very different to bronze or stone - was very poignant.
H + H. Eva Hesse 1965.
David Nash. Sculpture through the seasons.
National Museum Cardiff,
Amgueddfa Cymru
May 14th2019
This exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of the artist’s living and working in Capel Rhiw, a former Methodist chapel in Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales, and his consistent, singular use of wood from the late 60s to now. His work is closely allied to the lives of trees, in their natural environment, and a sense of place pervades all the exhibition, the studio itself, the slate industry that once was, and the surrounding Snowdonia landscape. The show moves to Eastbourne in September so I can visit it again, though I don’t think it will have quite the spaciousness it has in Cardiff.
David Nash was a key figure in the nascent Land art movement in the UK in the late 60s. Several pieces are durational and show passing of time within the landscape, and are recorded with photographs, film and drawings, notably Ash Dome, 1977, and Wooden Boulder, 1978. There are maps in the exhibiton which demonstrate the topography that means so much to him and is conveyed in the pieces. There are quite a few large, monumental pieces here and also numerous smaller pieces on the walls, some high up. I like the way these were presented, on small white wall plinths (?) or shelves, all arranged at different heights, and also the opportunity to walk around all the larger, floor based pieces and inhabit the spaces yourself which seems a key part of viewing sculpture to me, and also the combination of b/w photos of studio which give some idea of his ‘congregation’ of sculptures within the old chapel. He exhibited with other students, including Barry Flanagan, from St Martins, in the late 1960s, and he then subsequently moved to Wales as he needed enough space and easy access to his main material – wood. Capel Rhiw has been the centre of his life, and family life, ever since, with both his home and studio there.
David Nash, National museum of Wales, Cardiff
Matthew Gandy film at Birkbeck
20th May
Gandys film Natura Urbana : the Brachens of Berlin was showing at Birkbeck college in London as part of their art week. I had read his books and about this film so it was interesting to actually see it. I would really recommend it as a fascinating account of the brachen in relation to post war Berlin, which developed as such a unique environment post war and during Cold War, up to fall of Berlin Wall and after. The film discusses how in UK the word brachen might be translated as wasteland, but actually in German it has more agricultural connotations to do with leaving land fallow for a time to rejuvenate. This resonates with my research around curated decay (Caitlin deSilvey) and how wastelands/brownfield sites/brachen can be temporary sites used for many different alternative and creative purposes which is what happened to these sites in Berlin. Sadly now, land has become so over priced that many of these brachen are now built over and developed into housing and office blocks. Gandy's description of ' spontaneous nature which is a marvel of non-design ' , looks at the otherness of these kinds of spaces and how important they are to maintain unique botanical and animal biodiverse environments, areas of exotic landscape in the midst of the highly organised spaces of our cities, on little islands; Berlin was also a kind of an island before the wall came down.
Phoenix Ironworks Lewes
The dismantled crane from the old ironworks, saved from demolition, Phoenix Industrial estate. 2019
Here are notes I made for a tutorial where I wanted to talk about the history of Phoenix Ironworks :
Phoenix Ironworks : 1832 – 1986
Artemis arts 2008-9 had lottery funding to do research and create an archive about history of ironworks. In record office at the Keep. Includes oral history recordings.
Originally operated by a horse drawn fan. John Henry Every non-conformist, Westgate chapel included a window and fixtures made at Phoenix. In the Anne of Cleves museum in Lewes there is Everys collection of historic ironwork, incluing egs of medieval ironwork. (photo of windows at phoenix place). Link between church and business – non-conformist tradidtion in Lewes, lots of different chapels, and all built by local business men, reference to town hall portrait research . I will email artemis arts see what they doing now and also look at objects of ironwork on town trail, maybe do drawings of trail etc.
Venice visit 7th - 9th November 2018
Venice Architecture Biennale
For unit 3 I am looking at inter disciplinary links between architecture and planning, specifically urban planning and regeneration after industrial decline, and the huge increase in the value of land in urban areas, and subsequent gentrifrication.
I decided to visit this to propel myself away from the local, as a way to see a bigger picture, or bigger pictures. Also, to see a way forward from ruins, the other side of the cycle of demolition – the development and regeneration. The theme of the whole biennale this year was Freespace and the responses to this were varied and exciting. For me, the overall response was one of regeneration through reuse and repurposing with a huge respect for materials and the location and communities.
Overview
The curators, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara “FREESPACE encourages reviewing ways of thinking, new ways of seeing the world, of inventing solutions…FREESPACE can be a space for opportunity, a democratic space, … freedom to imagine the free space of time and memory, binding past, present and future together, building on inherited cultural layers, weaving the archaic with the contemporary.” Criticism of this ethos of their curation is that it is too widely spread and open to too many interpretations which I agree with but at the same time the outcomes and diversity was very exciting to see, and as I don’t know much about architecture it was a good way to get an overview of different visions.
I felt that when architecture works with or because of exisiting situations and with a community, then it, architecture, becomes a more humane and more interesting practice.
Assemble collective
Floor tiles from the Granby Workshop. A whole floor of handmade ecaustic tiles made in Liverpool as part of Assemble an architecture collective made up of a large group, who assisted in the thoughtful regeneration with the Granby Four Streets Community Land Trust to refurbish 10 derelict terraced hoses on Cairns st in Toxtexh, with the emphasis on rebuilding and repurposing. Over decades the policy to demolish as a “regeneration” initiative had created a scattered community and boardedup and derelict houses. Granby street in Liverpool used to be a busy main street with lots of shops and business. They won Turner prize and put prize money into setting up Granby Workshop, making handmade products, using artisan skills in untraditional ways. All the work is done in partnership with the local community.
Assemble describes their technique (about another project ) : “the approach is one of collage : a binding together of existing and proposed building fabric through removal, repair, erasing and overlaying. “ The tiles are all individual and looked good in the setting of main pavilion at biennale.
Rowan Moore on Assemble : “Assemble represent values profoundly opposite to those of the current directions of property and planning and of the architects who serve them. Where high land prices in Southern England and other parts of the country are squeezing out most things to which a price cannot be attached, they champion the unquantifiable benefits of, in particular, human society, of people enjoying life together because it is better than doing it on their own. “
France, Infinite Places
Constructing Buildings not places ?
Architects/Curators : Encore Heureux.
Extract :
Faced with ever more complex ecological, economic, and social problems, today we see a move toward seeking out alternative places, exploring and paving the way to new uses, extending the premise of third places. Far from giving a single definition to the places described here as infinite places—“infinite” because they are open to possibilities, possess potential, and are unfinished—this book sheds light not only on the processes, the different ways they are administered and run, and the commitment of the participants, but also on the underlying philosophical and political issues relating to their emergence. Whether taking over preexisting sites (the “already there”) or setting up their own self-built centers, the people and places involved reintroduce and update ideas about commons, values, and conviviality. They open up protean, subversive, and indefinite perspectives relating to the social role of architecture and the architect, suggesting and supporting other ways of living, using, and sharing space.
“Infinite places are pioneering places that explore and experiment with collective processes for dwelling in the world and for building community. These are open, possible, un-finished places that establish freespaces and the search for alternatives. … IN the face of the enormous challenges of our time – in which ecological changes conflict with the dominance of commercial economy, at a time of withdrawal into nationalist identities and authoritarianism, it is all the more urgent to maintain hope… Here we present a subjective selection of ten places that emerged…They exist by virtue of their determination to engage in experiment. Almost all of them started with an abandoned or neglected site. Here architecture finds its means of expression through the confrontation of pre-existing spatial qualities with an organic process of transformation…”
In this role the architect becomes more of an “guide”, outside their normal role, and seeking to create places rather than buildings.
An example : L’Hotel Pasteur, Rennes. A disused science faculty, then a dental school , and a social care centre. In 2012, an architect/builder Patrick Bouchain convinced the city to agree to an experiment : “to initiate a citizen appropriation of this historic building without any prior program… this allowed the opening of the place free of charge to local initiatives, facilitated by a live in “architect/concierge – Sophie Ricard. Lots of different activities _ art and science schools, sport rehabilitation , French courses for refugees, and mushroom growing just a few. Now a nursery school as well and the city of Rennes is keeping it going as a “project hotel” “|demonstrates richness and diversity of citizens aspiration”…
Description of Le Centquatre in Paris : The result is a marked feeling of chronotopicity, where a private space one day can be opened up free of charge the next, creating a constant buzz of excitement. The boundaries between passionate amateurs and professional artists are blurred… There is a strong feeling of social integration… open to each of us and therefore to all.”
And Les Grands Voisins, Paris : “A glimpse of utopian society has found its way into these abandoned hospital buildings, offering social integration, local currency, communal meetings and self-sufficiency in action.”
Le GB, Saint-Denis
“Each of the members of the collective assembled…by the architect Julien Beller shared the same concern : to find a space where they could escape from time to time from the property problems that discourage so many artistic or social enterprises….temporary occupation agreement was signed… some forty artists, architects, musicians, graphic designers, craftsmen and social workers settled in the building…the ever increasing residents have themselves gradually fitted out the common spaces required for this hive of activity…”
La Friche La Belle De Mai, Marseille
"Twenty-five years of reconstruction at this one-time tobacco factory site have made… (it)… one of the pioneering experiments that embody what Fabrice Lextrait described in 2001 as “the new territories of art”….
“La Friche is a living demonstration that culture can create a new form of urban life – one that is inventive,sharing and welcoming, with a variety of different programs that feed into and enrich one another” ref to website of La Friche, it has an English version. Go there !
La Grande Halle, Colombelles
“On this desolate plateau, a gigantic cooling tower and a double hall are the last vestiges of this industrial epic “ – the loss of their steel industry. _ “Two majestic concrete scars that resisted demolition and seemed to be awkwardly awaiting some daring move that would reinvent them”
The exhibit of each of these contains a cabinet of curiosties : “a selection of emblematic objects from each of these places, we seek to capture and transmit a part of their soul, to communicate through this accumulation of fragments the diversity of their stories and the breadth of our attachments : to reveal the feelings of what makes a place “
I also have that feeling about places and fragments of found objects, almost an archive I have made of bits and pieces, incidental bits. Sadly, at this time, no utopian architectural outcome is happening in Lewes. It is encourageing to see it elsewhere though.
"Transitional spaces promote intense and everyday forms of activism and function as spaces open to hope, to opportunities, and to the infinitude of possibilities “ Raphael Besson, economist and urban planner.
“Iinstead of guaranteeing beforehand a final outcome, architects could guarantee that they do not know what the program will be or whether there will be a final outcome at all. It induces a mode of thinking and designing based on absolutely not knowing what will happen.” Edith Hallauer, doctor of urban planning.
“The city needs to have breathing rooms at its disposal, spaces that can nurture new ideas, enable original actions, and set subversive goals in the face of often violent contemporary realities” The Plateau Urbain team
all based around what were originally abandoned, empty buildings , maybe threatened with demolition which had been reoccupied and put to use by various people, including architects, for lots of different uses. Their display had lots of objects from parts of the buildings and models which included films which showed a wide variety of current uses of buildings. Really inspiring and exciting display, especially as these all seemed to happen organically just by people inhabiting and using the spaces and then repurposing them, rebuilding and changing them to suit.
Spanish
The architects
Flores + Plats. Had created a large reconstruction of a theatre restoration project in Barcelona which incorporated original features with new and on reverse, hidden behind so you might not find it, a recreation of their studio, with lots of detail, materials, sketches, plans, models etc, showing process of development of architectural ideas
V&A Craft pavilion
Exhibition about demolition of Robin Hood Gardens, Ruins in Reverse.
Film by Do ho Suh of Robin Hood Gardens, two flats and inhabitants, before the demolition and after. And an actual part of the flats which v&A had rebuilt by arsenale, by part of semi disused ship yard, (only surviving large crane of its type, built in Newcastle), in a semi ruined space but now preserved and repurposed, though still partly used as military shipyard. Worth going to Venice just to see this.
This exhibition highlights actually a shame the total destruction of these examples of social housing. Example by Italian architects where a big housing estate outside Milan had been redesigned and refurbished mostly by altering the landscape and access around it.
Do ho Suh film
This was projected onto one huge wall right to floor and ceiling, making it feel that you were really inside or accompanying the building as it was sliced and then demolished. It was an entirely new set of viewpoints. I liked the way it made you feel like you were slipping down with it, like I’m an open lift. And the parts where flats still occupied, I liked the way it showed hidden spaces that you would never normally see not even if you lived there , under beds, behind cupboard, around heating, water pipes etc. And the stuff, inhabited they were full of soft stuff , empty they were much harder looking, you could see all the angles.