Chandelier background story

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.