Some Patterns of Current
Installed Sound, Image & Sculptural Objects / Hampton Library / 2014
A collaboration with Sheila Ghelani
Commissioned by Richmond Borough Arts / Funded by Arts Council England
See exhibition booklet for full credits How Does A Library Move?
Dance in Libraries was a 2-year project which explored the relationship between libraries and their users through a series of artist residency commissions. Some Patterns of Current developed out of a four-month residency and was a mixed media installation of audio, sculpture and choreographic propositions installed in and around Hampton Library. Delving into forgotten histories of people and objects, and exploring ideas of flow (of water, information and gesture) the work re-imagined the building as a single book with many pages. Particular attention was paid to the work of local prolific writer, Winifred Graham (forgotten and no longer stocked in the library) and William Ewart, a previous tenant of the building and campaigner for free Public Libraries. Users were offered an index to the library works and invited to make their own route through the works.
The residency included a public talk which the audience were invited to shape by calling out letters between A and Z. Each letter picked triggered a particular thought or detail behind the work. Through this method, FLOW; PATTERN; DEER (and HOCKEY); CHOREOGRAPHY; LISTS OF BANNED BOOKS; (THE) BASEMENT; RAY BRADBURY; VIBRATION; NEGOTIATION and TAGGS ISLAND were explored.
Installed elements included:
A song for John Beard (a previous tenant of the building) this was placed in the entrance hall. Text written in response to the library and its movement was arranged on the walls.
A discarded book was ceremonially burnt, returned to the library and set in an elevated position.
Some images from an early handbook of political gesture were installed in the children’s section of the library.
Tiny, hidden and surface-vibrating speakers were installed on a bookshelf, a mantlepiece and underneath a small desk to allow visitors to hear three different sound works made in response to the library and its history. Extracts from sound works.
Altering its scale and orientation, a fragment of the fireplace tile pattern was re-sited so it framed the view through the entrance hall windows of the library.
Some visitor comments:
“Lovely installation – subtle yet brings out curiosity in the visitor. It made me look anew at views, pictures and spaces. Thank you.”
“Calm, thoughtful, considered and extremely in ‘the flow’ of the surrounding environment. Lovely.” “I felt connected to a place I’ve never visited; engaged with layers of histories and conceptions.”
“Such a thoughtful, delicately compiled and beautiful piece. I loved the flow between thoughts, words and movement. Thank you.”
“Very thought-provoking – makes me connect with the library, books, stories / lives. And the transient nature of it all. The debt to trees for paper… I wish the writing / stencils on the walls could remain….”
“A quiet, considerate, contemplative atmosphere.”
In 2017 Some Patterns of Current / A Choreographic index was included as artists’ pages in Performance Research, Volume 22, Issue 1, On Libraries