Project Three: The Farningham Hobby Horse Project – quite unlike my other two projects this one is bright, colourful, crazy; a collaboration with artist Ros Barker working under the name of ‘FROS.’ We are both installation artists working with memory and memorial and have worked together before. A lot to be said for working relationships that have been tried and tested. I work best in collaboration I have discovered – I miss the ability to talk out ideas with someone who has a vested interest in the outcomes when I work alone.
This community project has now been running for six months – originally KCC funded and part of the Kent Cultural Baton it has developed into a yearlong project and is taking up more of my time than is healthy for either my work life balance or my other work. It is however massive fun and audiences love it, which when you work with the darker side of life as I do is quite a change.
The project was to re-make an ancient horse fair on its original village site by asking an entire village community to make a hobby horse. We had no idea if we would get six or sixty or how engaged the village would be. In the eventuality we got 120 quite amazing horses returned to us.
Following their launch they are now on their way round Kent – Whitstable Oyster Festival last weekend, Folkestone Triennial Fringe and new venues coming up ………. this is however the only project I have been involved with which could do with its own PA!
How does one deal with these runaway projects? Even with two of us this is enchanting, infuriating and administratively top heavy – every day hours on the laptop, phone calls and endless thought time that creeps into my driving and shopping opportunities like a thief.
