A little back ground story;
The
hospital staff at St. Mary’s have a view of the Summerhouse artwork we made in their
courtyard, and watched us going in and out putting artwork installations up inside the structure. We quite often felt like we were in a gold fish bowl being watched.
Over time, we started to chat and generally make ourselves know to staff and hopefully seem less 'odd'.
The Chandelier is the our response to chatting with them over a period of time and asking what they liked to see in the yard, which was a combination of colour, movement and light.
The
Chandelier of Lost Earrings, will be made from all
those
earrings left after it's pair is lost. We have nearly 1000 earrings
donated, it will need up to 5000 gathered together to make this
glittering and sparkling mass participation artwork.
The Chandelier will be a visual manifestation of lots of individual stories (favourite earrings have seen the story of many days and nights out!) integrated into one
inclusive beautiful piece. Without these contributions the Chandelier cannot
exist.
Many earrings have been donated by staff, patients and mothers, from the
hospital, friends and friends of friends, and people who read the newspaper article in the South Manchester reporter (thank you), often an earring has arrived in the post with its own background story!
The
completed artwork will tell a story in celebration of women, mothers and care
givers.
It’s first home will be inside the Summerhouse and be dedicated to the
staff.
The
collection events: gifts from people are at the core of the project; without
these we have no story. Watch out for when they are on, the first one being on 21st and 22nd at the Museum of Science and Industry, the mini maker faire.
