Memory and Mapping in June 2011

On Sunday 26^th June, local families measured and mapped the wilder green spaces of Camden Arts Centre with Susanne from erect architecture.

Inspired by Kerry Tribe’s artworks on show in the galleries, we played memory games and made drawings from memory.

Looking at satellite photos and plan drawings of the garden, we proposed and tested new pathways for the wild edges, before measuring and mapping the real space. One brilliant proposal was for a path in the shape of a branch. It suits the theme of a wildlife trail and would adapt rather well to react to the wildlife on the ground (and above!).

Using barrier tape we ‘drew’ a big grid on top of the undergrowth and studied the area in detail. The grid allowed us to produce a record of the existing wild areas.

This record can be used by the us architects to design a wildlife trail, which suits what is there. You found plenty of things to take into account: Branches above your heads, paths (who would have made them?), fences, overgrown areas, mud, leaves, stones, creepy crawlies and many, many plants of very different sizes. We made wax rubbings of different textures and developed a series of 1:1 micro map cards (which ants or other crawling insects could use to find their way!). We used the 1:1 micro map cards to play a memory game together.

In the next session we will be camping overnight, exploring the wild spaces at twilight!

On Friday 24^th June, Year 1 and 3 pupils from Holy Trinity Primary School continued their explorations of the galleries and the garden at Camden Arts Centre. The pupils were led by Ashvin, from erect architecture.

In the galleries, we looked at work by Kerry Tribe, who is very interested in how to make memories visible and material. She uses delicate materials and different technologies to record and display stories about forgetting, remembering and loss. In Milton Torres Sees A Ghost, the recorded voice of Milton recounted a strange event that happened to him 50 years earlier. We followed his voice through a long ‘path’ of audio tape stretching around the room which led to an ossciloscope; a special machine which ‘maps’ the shape of sound.

We tested our memories with a game using some lost and forgotten objects which were found in the undergrowth of the wild edge of the garden.

We looked at maps and satellite photos of the Centre, its garden and its neighbourhood, before making some imaginary paths through the wild edges of the garden, by folding paper.

Outside we mapped different things including time, textures, the size and shape of trees and edges, and conditions of the space, for instance where it is most dark/light, open/closed, quiet/noisy.

Our experience and recordings will shape new maps of and designs for the area. Research and making will carry on in the Autumn term...

Sunday survey

On April 10th, local families began exploring the wilder green spaces of Camden Arts Centre with Ashley and fellow artist Stephen Nelson.

Families made special viewing tools for observing the flora and fauna.

Inspired by Pino Pascali's sculptures and performances on show in the galleries, we developed camouflage treatments for the viewing tools in that would allow us to connect with and inspect the wild spaces of the garden more closely.

The barriers warning of danger and advising visitors to keep out of the wilder spaces in the garden will be removed as the nature trail is developed. The families wrote down some questions they have about the garden and threw them into the undergrowth beyond the barriers, like curious seeds. Questions included:

Why are you green and not blue or red?

How long have you been here?

Are you really dangerous?

How many different plants grow here?

We look forward to the answers blooming and revealing themselves in the next family session in Summer ...

Seeing whilst unseen

On April 1st, Year 1 and 3 pupils from Holy Trinity Primary School began exploring the wilder spaces of Camden Arts Centre with Ashley and Susanne from erect architecture. Pupils looked closely at the conditions of the space in Spring, playing I Spy, drawing details and devising list of words to describe the spaces - wild, dangerous, spooky, forest, woods, green, crazy, dark, scary...

In the galleries we were thrilled by Pino Pascali's strange sculptures. Pupils observed that the artist uses a mix of natural and man made materials. He enlarges and expands familiar images to giant proportions. But the giant 'spider' sculpture, the biggest we have ever seen, seems more playful than threatening because the artist made it with bright blue fake fur fabric. Pupils speculated that a giant 'mushroom' sculpture might house fairies and small woodland animals, and a steelwool net might trap wild animals.

Inspired by Pino Pascali's use of everyday materials and taking advice from the classic song - Teddy Bears Picnic, we developed camouflage disguises that would allow us to venture closer into the wild spaces of the garden, in order to see whilst unseen.

We didn't find any teddy bears picnic, but other surprises included ants, bees, logs, tiny buds, bushes and a 'mystery tree of the unknown'.

The research and exploration will continue in the Summer term...