So – ‘Tent’ was completed and installed at the beginning of this week on a blisteringly hot day with the church gardens – which are quite beautiful- in full bloom. A completely different place to our site visit in the rain. It felt open and alive and the gardens were full of both office workers eating sandwiches,sleeping bodies and drinking buddies surrounded by cans and bottles.
My chosen installation site at the foot of the crucifix and in a corner at the end of a line of red street food tents still seemed right. It felt forgotten, unembellished and unconsidered.
When I visited to install there was now a vase of wilting flowers on the base of the crucifix, something I hadn’t expected. Its floral nature softened,sweetened and distracted from the singular colour and texture of my tent in a way I found uncomfortable, but the fact the flowers were losing their colour and virilty helped make their addition more paletable.
I left with the work installed and was consequently sent an image of the installation at night – with the solar light in the tent visible from the Waterloo Road. A reminder I hoped to the home going revellers making their way towards warm , safe beds…
