Public Art 2008
In May 2008, five temporary art events by artists Alastair MacLennan, Maura Hazelden, Simon Whitehead, Anna Lucas and Yvonne Buchheim took place in Cardigan, west Wales, exploring themes of ritual, community and place. Holy Hiatus sought to examine the ways that artists can draw audiences into different, often unexpected experiences of place through ritual. The temporary, mobile and in some cases understated nature of the works meant that the impact was often subtle, but the artworks nonetheless created a ripple of effect for audiences, leading witnesses to wonder what they had just seen and to what extent they had knowingly or unknowingly participated in it.
In practices that involve ritual pattern making, ‘holy hiatus’ refers to the crossing of the boundary between inner and outer consciousness. The purpose of such practices is to allow inner processes to manifest as outer design or forms – a method that has strong analogies with art-making. Holy Hiatus focused on social ritual, community and public places to explore threshold, or ‘liminal’ states and examine the ways that artists employ 'performative interaction' to engage audiences creatively with place.
A publication documenting and contextualising this project is available published by Parthian and edited by Ruth Jones
Alastair MacLennan
Lure in Rule
Actuation on footbridge over River Teifi, Cardigan
5am - 5pm Friday 23rd May 2008
Maura Hazelden
Untitled
Performance in collaboration with Lou Laurens. A phrase of movement and a 13th century song Worldes Blis Ne Laste, repeated over 6 hours
The Small World Theatre, CardiganThursday 22nd May 2008
Anna Lucas
Begail Foxwell Whip
Video Installation 16mm film transferred to DVD
Pendre Art Gallery, Cardigan
Friday 23rd - Saturday 31st May 2008
Simon Whitehead
Drift
A series of dance excursions through Cardigan town in collaboration with dancers Kate Willis and Andrea Buckley, photographer Ben Stammers and poet Zoe Skoulding.
Wednesday 21st - Friday 23rd May 2008
Yvonne Buchheim
Sound Water Beat
Public Performance, Cardigan Swimming Pool
Friday 23rd May 2008
