First Impressions of Shepton Prison
28.3.19
Lou Baker
A prison is probably quite an unusual venue for an art event. The space we’re using, B Wing at Shepton Prison, is particularly atmospheric. It’s been left, unused, for a number of years so it looks almost derelict. The purpose of this visit was to have a look at the spaces and do some planning. Most of us were also meeting one another for the first time. As well as absorbing the environment, taking photos and discussing ideas, we had a talk from local historian, Ian Keys, and a fascinating tour by Jailhouse Tours. We all quickly realised that responding to the history, the abandoned spaces and the sense of dereliction will be an intriguing and challenging experience.
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As we explored B Wing we were all deeply affected. It’s not just visually compelling, it also has a very distinctive, and rather troubling, feel to it. It’s already an immersive, multi-sensory experience before we add any art! Inside its bone-numbingly cold, there are smells of damp and decay and the light through the grilles and bars is magical. There is a presence. It’s full of history and memory, of individuals - inmates and staff alike - , the town of Shepton Mallet and the British penal system.
As a result of these sensory features, and probably amplified by imagination, many of us felt a strong and quite oppressive presence of a range of heavy emotions – grief, fear, loneliness, despair, rage, remorse amongst others. For us, as a group of artists and writers with such diverse experiences and practices, translating this part of the history of this forsaken place and communicating relevant, contemporary meaning through art will be the most difficult and interesting part of the project.
Art in unexpected places has meaning added. We hope that our work will add another dimension to this already astonishing experience so that, for our visitors, it will be affecting, poignant, provocative and immersive. We hope to magnify the sense of wonder and curiosity as each person finds their own path through the labyrinth of cells and corridors, discovering surprising and unpredictable interventions in these astonishing deserted spaces.
We came away with a range of conflicting emotions – we had been moved, inspired, troubled, excited and provoked and we were very, very cold! This initial visit has made us really look forward to starting the B-Wing project, once we've raised the necessary funds. If you're interested in supporting us in any way, please get in touch!
We came away with a range of conflicting emotions – we had been moved, inspired, troubled, excited and provoked and we were very, very cold! This initial visit has made us really look forward to starting the B-Wing project, once we've raised the necessary funds. If you're interested in supporting us in any way, please get in touch!