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GUIDE www.wondersofweston.org INTRODUCTION SEEKING THE WONDERS OF WESTON Claire Doherty and Theresa Bergne – 8 RUTH CLAXTON And My Eyes Danced – 16 TIM ETCHELLS Winter Piece – 19 Shelter Piece – 22 LARA FAVARETTO Without earth under foot – 25 TANIA KOVATS IN ASSOCIATION WITH GRANT ASSOCIATES HOLM – 28 RAUMLABORBERLIN Silly Scope – 32 WRIGhts & SITES Everything you need to build a town is here – 36 INTRODUCTION Wonders of Weston is a programme of remarkable and memorable Wonders of Weston has been produced by Situations, a public art artworks, part of the national Sea Change initiative (2008 – 2010), commissioning and research programme at the University of the which aimed to support the revitalisation of British seaside towns. West of England, Bristol (→ www.situations.org.uk), in association with Launching on 29 October 2010, Wonders of Weston features artworks Field Art Projects, an arts consultancy operating in the public realm by artists Ruth Claxton, Tim Etchells, Lara Favaretto, Tania Kovats (→ www.fieldartprojects.com). The programme has been developed as in association with landscape architects Grant Associates, architects part of the national Sea Change initiative (2008 – 2010), managed by raumlaborberlin and artist collective Wrights & Sites. the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE Each of the artists or collectives has responded to the specific (1999–2011)) on behalf of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport characteristics of Weston-super-Mare, often drawn to existing (DCMS), and is managed by North Somerset Council. architectural structures or gathering points such as the former Model Yacht Pond, Weston Market, the Railway Station and Town Quarry. The resulting programme features sculptures which transform viewing points out to sea, a kaleidoscopic temporary structure and a night-time luminescent phenomenon, which play on the carnival wonderment of the seaside, as well as a number of texts, illuminated, cast and etched, which encourage us to consider the seaside as a place of childhood memories, contemplation and anticipation. The programme was accompanied by public nominations for the Seventh Wonder of Weston which included a hill fort, a mystic path, a theatre organ and Weston brass band. Nominations can be viewed at Wonders of Weston website (→ www.wondersofweston.org) along with video interviews with the artists and full information on visiting Weston-super-Mare. 4 5 E L M S LE Y L A D C SAN O L L U ROA M D . D R N TO D LS A KE O R L A N E EN UE B . AV E VE C A FO RD E K W AL H S E W N D A C LA T N R N EA A O S B L N A B A O K R N T R D R OU S D O A RO A O P E N ISL GH N Q L U E R E R R E N N O LA E D S T. M A D U O W ’S RK A RO K ES ’S N C LO R D O E D A D A I D N O W R M A A G D Y A A LEN W Y C A KEWSTOKE D Y WA N H ROA TO E R E U CHURCH L WORLEBURY GOLF COURSE I O B B N U B J RO A D O R I D M B E B L E E W N O A L R T H M Map of A L A D . D A O A WEston-SUPER-MARE M R AD D WRIGHTS & SIteS KE RO A STO O EW R K ILL M Everything you need to build H I RY LT EBU O WORL WESTON WOODS N a town is here H IL A D L RO BIRNBECK ISLAND AND PIER A constellation of signs O L Worle throughout Weston. Start here BRIST D A to view the keystone sign or O D B R OA L R A T TO Y IS downloadT a map of all signs at T R B R E ER OLD TOWN QUARRY P E K SOU TH ROAD UP E R I www.wondersofweston.org. R B D AD O R SHRU O A BB R TANIA KOVATS ERY AVE CECI L D Y R D R U HOLM B A S ‘ S ANCHOR H H N G I R C HEAD B E WE BRISTOL ROAD LOWER IN ASSOCIATION WITH IR O D N E O ASHCOMBE B H L E M C R K RO U D M GRANT ASSOCIATES A R L O M PARK L UPPE Q B D R L A E N MADEIRA COVE C E H N U D O D RCH R T T P O E A S N AD I RO P TIM ETCHELLS R R R U N E K O K GROVE B R ILT R Set within the re-designed NI L M G R H A I D T MARINE LAKE STO PARK E CEMETERY D Winter Piece TH R N SOU SIDE . landscaped gardens of Madeira CAUSEWAY E R Cove, the distinctive landmass D A two-part artwork on the OAD WATER ADVENTURE ON R of Steep Holm is created in JOHN MAINE MILT façade of the Winter Gardens PLAY PARK ARCH O STREET R WATERLO miniature, drawing the viewer’s O Y Pavilion invites us to reflect A L T attention to the encounter with REE P T S D ER on the seaside as a place of A K BA R D R A WINTER ST O W T R landscape and scale. A DO G childhood memories and adult GARDENS A S D N E I M D EA K E R C D LHA GRAND PIER PAVILION R M GROVE O E L E contemplation. Best viewed R S B F S L R I M EG A after sunset. E O NT W WESTON S C STR EET H MILTON S OXFORD ST. A TOWN HALL LOC D STAT KING ROA LARA FAVARettO ION RD D R Without earth under foot E StATION T O DOLPHIN C D S R I VA SQUARE L NE A remarkable night-time L A occurrence appears on the W W IN Marine Lake causeway which ELLENBOROUGH TE RS PARK TO K dissects the sea from this E R O D A artificial lake. D Y A A O W C M LEVE R DON IN R A OAD E LU MODEL V R R C E O H H YACHT POND C R LIFTO F N R D D IE L D E S SE RAUMLABORBERLIN D VE RN RD W A A D Y R A Silly Scope, Funny Foot Age and A P O E S X R C LA E SHELTER E REN E CE RD V SPAM! The John Cleese Fanzine H N T N I E E C R R R A N A R E D B CLARENCE A M TIM ETCHELLS PARK V Silly Scope was first sited at Shelter Piece E Weston- super-Mare Railway Station, CE RD S CLAREN accompanied with Funny Foot Age ROAD A text in fragmentary scenes, QUANTOCK D W and SPAM! A I witnessed by the artist during a ROAD O RutH CLAXTON N ND R A T ORL O E M E R R I 24-hour period in Weston, is set And My Eyes Danced S For forthcoming locations of Silly H T LTON RD S O R N here against the expansive view CHA K Scope please see Raumlaborberlin O E U V A sculptural installation R P E O section on www.wondersofweston.org out to the Bristol Channel. H D I A L emerging from the former Model L D or phone Situations on 0117 930 4282. R O Yacht Pond shifts in appearance A Funny Foot Age and SPAM! are also D EAN DOW BR N A V N E with the changing light and tide. O available to view on the website. R T BROAD OAK H RD CRICKET 0 1/4 1/2 3/4 MILE GROUND 0 1/2 1 KM U P H A I H L T L E C R R U R H O C A D ROAD DM IXO N D L O R AY O BRO ADW A D SO U TH B L E A DO N HILL R D O M A N ROA C E L T B I R C ID G W A T E R W A Y B LEA DO SH IP LA TE R O A D A D RO SEEKING THE Situations has focused in recent years on exploring exemplary WONDERS OF WESTON models of public art commissioning ranging from projects which have been developed by a curator or artist who is embedded in specific A curatorial perspective places over long periods of time to 24-hour sculptures which capture the imagination of the public through unannounced interventions. Field Art Projects have always valued the importance of building good Weston-super-Mare has been undergoing a process of regeneration for working relationships with clients and stakeholders by developing their over 150 years. Brunel’s Bristol & Exeter Railway reached the small knowledge of good practice in order that they can better respond to the settlement in 1841, transforming the townscape from a lone hotel and commissioning process as well as recognising the value of temporary a couple of inns into a seaside resort for thousands of workers from the and more ephemeral commissions as part of an advocacy process.