Madge Gill Nature in Mind

Madge Gill Nature in Mind Royal Victoria Dock Borough of Newham The Line | Thomas J Price, Reaching Out The Line Proposed View Background The Line is London’s first dedicated public art walk. Unveiled in 2015, its outdoor exhibition programme illuminates an inspiring landscape where everyone can explore art, nature and heritage for free. The route runs between Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and The O2, following the waterways and the line of the Greenwich Meridian. Visitors are able to walk, cycle or run The Line. It is free for everyone and democratizes the presentation of museum- quality contemporary art by removing it from the gallery and bringing it outdoors so that it can be enjoyed by locals, Londoners and visitors to the capital. There are currently artworks by fourteen artists. Three artworks were unveiled in 2020 during The Line’s fifth anniversary year: Reaching Out by Thomas J Price; Bird Boy by Laura Ford; and Sanko-time, a sound commission, by Larry Achiampong. There are a number of new installations Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners due to be unveiled during 2021. The Line draws people away from heavily trafficked roads and on to quiet river paths. It enables contact with nature and art, which can improve wellbeing and reduce stress levels and provides a valuable and unique learning resource. The Line is working with partners, stakeholders and local councils along the route to establish comprehensive outreach programs encompassing learning and education and health and well-being for local communities and visitors. In 2020, The Line unveiled its new website and digital guide (with the free Bloomberg Connects app) to further encourage exploration of the art, nature and heritage along the route in real life and from afar. The Line Locations X QEOP underpass The House Mill X Europa Trade Park X X UKPN bridge B27 Royal Victoria Dock Madge Gill X Madge Gill About Madge Gill Self-taught artist Madge Gill, born an illegitimate child in 1882 Her artwork would often feature a young woman dressed About Madge Gill in Walthamstow, London, created thousands of meticulous in flowing robes, but never gave any indication of who this Self-taught artist Madge Gill, born an illegitimate child ink drawings during her lifetime. Her inspired works were haunting figure was - perhaps it was her still-born child, the in 1882 in Walthamstow, London, created thousands of meticulous ink drawings during her lifetime. Her inspired often monumental, either in sheer scale or in number. For an spirit ‘Myr Madge Gill At Work ninerest’ or even herself. works were often monumental, either in sheer scale or untutored artist she skilfully explored different techniques in number. For an untutored artist she skilfully explored different techniques and formats: paints, inks, textiles. and formats: paints, inks, textiles. Although relatively unknown at the time she is now considered a prolific and powerful artist. Although relatively unknown at the time she is no considered A disjointed childhood saw her move from Walthamstow, a prolific and powerful artist. to Barkingside and later on to Canada when she was 14, after her family realised they weren’t willing to support her A disjointed childhood saw her move from and placed her in an orphanage. Bernardo’s were then involved in the British Home Child scheme and shipped Gill to Canada Walthamstow, to Barkingside and later on to Canada when for work and a promise of a more wholesome future. Separated she was 14, after her family realised they weren’t willing to from all her family, Madge remained in Canada until October, 1900 before moving back to London and becoming a nurse at support her and placed her in an orphanage. Bernardo’s Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone. A few years later she married her cousin, Tom Gill and the were then involved in the British Home Child scheme and couple went on to have three sons. However, the couple had a difficult marriage and suffered a number of tragedies. shipped Gill to Canada for work and a promise of a more Their second son sadly died in 1918 during the influenza wholesome future. Separated from all her family, Madge pandemic and a year later, Gill gave birth to a stillborn girl. After this fourth pregnancy, Gill’s health quickly deteriorated. remained in Canada until October, 1900 before moving back Coming close to death, she was left with multiple issues including losing her left eye. It was at this time Gill to London and becoming a nurse at Whipps Cross Hospital in began to create her art, which often resulted in a flurry Leytonstone. of seemingly unending drawing activity. This activity, Gill explained, was encouraged by a spirit guide she came A few years later she married her cousin, Tom Gill to embody called Myrninerest. Now living in Newham, Gill instinctively made inspirational, and the couple went on to have three sons. However, the intuitive and beautiful work; drawing in ink and pencil on couple had a difficult marriage and suffered a number of what she could find and construct, from postcards to a giant 25ft calico drawing. She also produced various intricate tragedies. embroideries as well as various pieces of hand-woven clothing. Her artwork would often feature a young woman dressed Their second son sadly died in 1918 during the influenzA in flowing robes, but never gave any indication of who this pandemic and a year later, Gill gave birth to a stillborn girl. haunting figure was - perhaps it was her still-born child, the spirit ‘Myrninerest’ or even herself. Madge Gill At Work After this fourth pregnancy, Gill’s health quickly deteriorated. working on a section of a large pen and ink piece on fabric at herMadge home in East Gill Ham in At 1947. Work Coming close to death, she was left with multiple Photo by Westwood/ issues including losing her left eye. It was at this time Gill Paulworking Popper. Getty on images. a section of a large pen began to create her art, which often resulted in a flurry and ink piece on fabric at her home in of seemingly unending drawing activity. This activity, Gill East Ham in 1947. explained, was encouraged by a spirit guide she came to Photo by Westwood/ Paul Popper. embody called Myrninerest. Getty images. Now living in Newham, Gill instinctively made inspirational, intuitive and beautiful work; drawing in ink and pencil on what she could find and construct, from postcards to a giant 25ft calico drawing. She also produced various intricate embroideries as well as various pieces of hand- woven clothing. Madge Gill Proposal In SpringProposal 2021, Works by Madge Gill in collaboration with The Line, Cody Dock and Newham Council, will be presenting In Spring 2021, Works by Madge Gill in collaboration with MadgeThe Gill’s Line, work Cody through Dock and an Newham array of Council, outdoor will exhibitions. be This willpresenting take the Madge form Gill’sof a serieswork through of bespoke an array ‘billboards’. of outdoor They willexhibitions. be erected This alongwill take the the route form of of The a series Line, of joining bespoke Queen‘billboards’. Elizabeth TheyOlympic will be Park erected to the along Royal the Docks route inof Newham. TheLocated Line, joining in the Queen borough Elizabeth where Olympic Madge Park Gill to lived the Royal Docks in Newham. and producedLocated the in majoritythe borough of her where work, Madge it will Gill be lived a landmark and opportunityproduced to sharethe majority and celebrate of her work, her it life will with be a thelandmark local communityopportunity while to attracting share and new celebrate visitors her to life the with area, the local displayingcommunity the extraordinary while attracting artwork new visitors she created to the area, in the borough.displaying Simultaneously the extraordinary the billboards artwork she would created help in to the borough. Simultaneously the billboards would help to guide people from the DLR and away from the main road, guide people from the DLR and away from the main road, encouragingencouraging the localthe local community community and and visitors visitors to to access access The Line,The Line,a free a culturalfree cultural resource resource and and urban urban wilderness. wilderness. This projectThis project would would form form part part of The of The Line’s Line’s 2021 2021 programme focussingprogramme on Learning focussing and on Participation Learning and andParticipation Health and and WellbeingHealth as and well Wellbeing as revealing as well local as revealing history andlocal heritage history and heritage through new projects and commissions through new projects and commissions London Borough of Newham Heritage and Archives are Londonsupporting Borough the project of Newham by providing Heritage a series and of Archives are supportinghigh quality the images project to be by digitally providing reproduced a series fromof high their qualityunique images collection to be digitally of Madge reproduced Gill’s art which from was their created unique in collectionthe borough. of Madge The Gill’s works art displayed which was in the created exhibition in the borough.spaces The will works be changed displayed and inreprinted the exhibition every year, spaces after will be launching the project with Gill, the exhibition will offer a changedcreative and spacereprinted to celebrate every year, the localafter heritage launching of thethe project with Gill,area, the displaying exhibition both will contemporary offer a creative local spaceartists toand celebrate the localhistorical heritage displays. of the area, displaying both contemporary local artistsGill wasand known historical to display displays. her largest works outside in the Gillgarden was to known see them to display in their herentirety, largest and works would outsideoften Madge Gill Displays Her Work reference flora and fauna in her work, once stating ‘If I English artist Madge Gill (Maude in the garden to see them in their entirety, and would often were a man I would have gone abroad and studied Ethel Eades, 1882 - 1961) hang- reference flora and fauna in her work, once stating ‘If I were ing one of her artworks in the botany’.

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