21.10.19
Looking back
Fiona Campbell
B-Wing has been an epic journey, an immersive art experience, extraordinary, and challenging. Held in Shepton Mallet Prison’s B Wing, a massive space spanning 3 floors, 8 of us installed site-responsive works throughout the building, some large-scale, others intimate, to be discovered. The exhibition was only open to the public for 16 days during Somerset Art Weeks Festival, packed with fully booked special events and over 1300 visitors. Community workshops were held prior to opening. Preparation has taken a year (with report writing and finances still to finish off :-/)
Two weeks ago I took down my last piece from Shepton Prison, feeling exhilarated and exhausted. The physical effort of making, installing and takedown was compounded by the amount of curatorial work I’ve invested in B-Wing over the past months/year. Huge thanks to Nick Weaver for his technical help during the making, installation, dismantling and transport stages. Each was a complex process with precarious moments - apt for my purposefully rickety Snakes and Ladders piece. The work entailed some intricate engineering, and construction of a makeshift storage space for my ladder sections. Thanks to Jason Nosworthy for also helping instal.
Two weeks ago I took down my last piece from Shepton Prison, feeling exhilarated and exhausted. The physical effort of making, installing and takedown was compounded by the amount of curatorial work I’ve invested in B-Wing over the past months/year. Huge thanks to Nick Weaver for his technical help during the making, installation, dismantling and transport stages. Each was a complex process with precarious moments - apt for my purposefully rickety Snakes and Ladders piece. The work entailed some intricate engineering, and construction of a makeshift storage space for my ladder sections. Thanks to Jason Nosworthy for also helping instal.
Fiona Campbell, Snakes and Ladders, found and recycled materials
Snakes and Ladders comprises several dysfunctional hand-made ladders and entrail forms. Two are over 7ms in length, interacting with the space, one hovering, suspended in the skylight. They refer to ascension, escape, dreams, inspired by Piranesi’s The Bridge from his Imaginary Prisons series, the endless human cycle of striving, greed and suffering.
I was excited by the way my ladders were reflected in Scott Sandford’s black pool and how our artworks in B-Wing resonated together.
I was excited by the way my ladders were reflected in Scott Sandford’s black pool and how our artworks in B-Wing resonated together.
Fiona Campbell's ladders reflecting in the dark pool, part of IN.BRS.2019.39, a collaboration between Scott Sandford and Lou Baker
Fiona Campbell, Glut, found and recycled materials. Photo Jason King
Fiona Campbell, Glut, found and recycled materials. Photo Dave Cable
Fiona Campbell, Tongue, found and recycled materials. Photos: 1 Jason King, 2 Fiona
There have been so many moving moments, especially meeting and hearing John McCarthy speak on our action-packed Special Events Day.
The whole contemporary art in prison experience threw up some very emotional reactions from visitors and participants. I was at the prison virtually every day for a month - throughout installation, the various events, and take down, engaging and absorbing visitors’ responses. We were/are delighted with the feedback, support and level of engagement from such a wide demographic, and so grateful to our venue hosts Shepton Mallet Prison and patrons (see Partners & Sponsors) for enabling the project.
It’s been wonderful working with such dedicated, talented artists and writers. I’ve loved the cross-fertilisation! Thanks to the team effort and hard work of artists/writers Lou Baker, Rosie Jackson, Scott Sandford, Geoff Dunlop, Lucy Large, Alice Maddicott and co-curator Luminara Star, I feel our B-Wing project was a resounding success.
One of my pieces Dawn Chorus was a simple sound work installed in a cell. It can’t be pictured, but Trevor Smith wrote an article published in A-N, describing his response to this piece and other works in B-Wing. We took part in several radio chats and were thrilled to be featured on BBC and ITV.
The whole contemporary art in prison experience threw up some very emotional reactions from visitors and participants. I was at the prison virtually every day for a month - throughout installation, the various events, and take down, engaging and absorbing visitors’ responses. We were/are delighted with the feedback, support and level of engagement from such a wide demographic, and so grateful to our venue hosts Shepton Mallet Prison and patrons (see Partners & Sponsors) for enabling the project.
It’s been wonderful working with such dedicated, talented artists and writers. I’ve loved the cross-fertilisation! Thanks to the team effort and hard work of artists/writers Lou Baker, Rosie Jackson, Scott Sandford, Geoff Dunlop, Lucy Large, Alice Maddicott and co-curator Luminara Star, I feel our B-Wing project was a resounding success.
One of my pieces Dawn Chorus was a simple sound work installed in a cell. It can’t be pictured, but Trevor Smith wrote an article published in A-N, describing his response to this piece and other works in B-Wing. We took part in several radio chats and were thrilled to be featured on BBC and ITV.
Fiona and Lou's ‘Join-in-the-conversation' Sat 28th Sept. Photo Jason King
Family sculpture workshop, led by Fiona, Sat 5.10.19
In addition to the ‘In-conversations’ with Lou Baker and art tours, I ran a family friendly sculpture workshop. B Wing was transformed for a morning into a hive of activity. Families spilled out into the main atrium of the prison wing, working together on abstract sculptures made from recycled materials.
Lovely comments from participants include:
“I’ve never mixed materials with wire before - I love doing it”.. “loved the freedom to explore creatively and spend time with my son”.. “I really enjoyed it but if there was one thing I would change it would be the heating” (Marley, age 6)
See our Gallery of pictures and feedback that tell the B-Wing story. Quality images are so valuable. Thanks to the photographers mentioned for kindly taking some excellent ones.
Time for a rest and reflection!
Lovely comments from participants include:
“I’ve never mixed materials with wire before - I love doing it”.. “loved the freedom to explore creatively and spend time with my son”.. “I really enjoyed it but if there was one thing I would change it would be the heating” (Marley, age 6)
See our Gallery of pictures and feedback that tell the B-Wing story. Quality images are so valuable. Thanks to the photographers mentioned for kindly taking some excellent ones.
Time for a rest and reflection!