- Venue
- St Mary Burham
- Starts
- Friday, September 20, 2019
- Ends
- Sunday, September 22, 2019
- Address
- Old Church Rd, Burham, Rochester ME1 3XY
- Location
- South East England
‘Confluence’, is an installation in the beautiful St Mary Burham church, inspired by the recent archaeological project Finding Eanswythe which explored the life of the Anglo-Saxon, Kentish Royal Saint and granddaughter of Ethelbert, the first English king to convert to Christianity under Augustine.
St Eanswythe is believed to have founded one of the earliest monastic communities in England (c.630AD) on the Bayle, the historic centre of Folkestone. One of the miracles attributed to the princess was that she made water ‘run up-hill’ from the Downs to the Bayle, thereby providing fresh water for the nunnery.
“We were intrigued by the story of this young woman and her ‘miraculous’ watercourse” said artist Maureen Jordan who has recently moved to Folkestone to set up her workshop, Bouverie Studio.
“When you see the effort people made all those years ago to move water to their settlement it certainly reminds you how critical water is to us all”.
Maureen invited artist Caroline Bugby to collaborate with her on the project. They had both attended a residency at Vermont Studio Center last year and saw connections in their work. Although born in the UK Caroline studied in North Carolina at UNC Greensboro, and is currently resident artist at Tonbridge School:
“I was drawn to the story of St Eanswythe because of the archaeological investigations taking place, and the notion of water magically flowing uphill has really captured my imagination”
The opening event is from 7-9 on Friday 20th September and the church is open from 11-4 on Saturday and Sunday where the installation and information about St Eanswythe can be viewed. Both artists will be there with their work and to answer any questions.
The Artists:
Maureen Jordan was born in Northern Ireland and says that has had a huge influence on her life and work.
“My work isn’t about Northern Ireland, but it is of it. I am interested in what shapes us and what does that more than our time, our place and our stories”?
Using reclaimed materials, including glass pantiles and sea-glass Maureen has taken the theme of water as a source of life and plays with the ideas of the miraculous and transformative.
Caroline Bugby works in both the UK and the US, making sculpture and installation that renders the familiar strange and encourages contemplation of the richness of reality. Lately her work has been informed by archaeology:
“I see ancient artefacts as time-travellers in our midst, and I am fascinated by the potential past lives they contain within them”.
Caroline has created a series of fragmented and crumbling vessels that speak of the actions of containing and drinking water, exploring our connection to the past through this most essential resource.
