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photographs from the norwich cathedral hostry gallery preview

On Saturday 5th November at the public view, it was a wonderful privilege to have George Szirtes read from the collaborative text that accompanies the images in the book of the project. George modestly calls his text a series of marginalia accompanying the Gearing archive and my new responses, but they are a wonderful way to explore the edges of the work. Along with the readings, third generation distant cousins from the Gearing and Gower families met for the very first time as I brought them together in Norwich.

Thank you to everyone who came to the artist talk, the book is still available to purchase at the special price of £15 + postage during the exhibition and includes a free pack of extras including an A5 archival print of ‘Norwich Cathedral, dying flowers’ from the series.

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clarion sunday – 19 september 2021

Last Sunday I was commissioned by Mid Pennine Arts to make a series of portraits of Clarion cyclists as they converged on the last Clarion House just north of Nelson in Lancashire. The weather held fair and it was a privilege to photograph over 90 cyclists who celebrated Clarion Sunday. Many of these riders have contributed data of their journeys. In some instances they also photographed or filmed their rides for me to look at and consider for the limited edition bookwork I am now making. All participants will be included and many contributed their thoughts on the importance of the Clarion’s cultural heritage. This commission is part of Pendle Radicals, a wider look at radical thinkers and activists who have shaped not only the local landscape but the nation. I was also commissioned to mark these people and their importance with a series of stone etched panels. The Clarion panel is at the bottom of these images from the day.

As a devotee of cycling culture and fashion, I designed a special musette for each cyclist, with the declaration #I_Am_Clarion emblazoned on it – filled with Clarion and Pendle Radicals goodies. Now I will begin to reflect on the day, process the portraits and produce a lasting document celebrating the Clarion cycling movement and its Socialist roots – to be added to the musette! As the beautiful banner says ‘Fellowship is Life’, ‘Socialism the Hope of the World’.

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pendle radicals and songs of praise

My #I_Am_Clarion commission comes under the umbrella project ‘Pendle Radicals’ by Mid Pennine Arts, check out the beautiful etched stone panels I created for the wider project which feature in this episode of Songs of Praise.

The panels were etched for us by Scribblestone near Halifax, who worked on my previous Cambridge Rules 1848 commission. Using a warm local stone to reflect the environment they are set in, they mark key locations that are touched by Radical Thinkers from Pendle’s past.

I believe I get a small walk on part, but haven’t seen the rushes so can’t confirm this!

Pendle Radicals will be airing on Sunday 12th Sept at 1.45pm on BBC One and will be available to watch online afterwards @  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000zp4l

Updated clip link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09vm2pb

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cambridge rules 1848, book laser dummy, spine detail

We are reaching the point in the project where the final stone will be installed in Egypt and the book can be printed and published. There will be more images and announcements about this shortly.

This image shows the extent of the publication, 800pp in 32pp sections. It will be exposed bound, so I’ve been experimenting with adding details to the sections that can be read once bound. It will be a miniature scale version of the sculpture with a sleeve. Here, the sections have been squeezed between two pieces of sample stone for the sculpture.