Hidden in the hollow of the Great Oak

Woodland pond. Photograph by Christine Hough

Phil writes: 

Clutching recorders and cameras, we made an expedition to the woods (well, Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury) to make some sound recordings for the SING ME TO SLEEP exhibition in Vilnius. Alongside the quilt, which has taken hundreds of hours of work, we've also been building a soundtrack of recordings of poems written during the project. The pieces will be intercut, between different readers and also different languages. And will include the odd leaf rustle, footstep, traffic sound and some ambient recordings from the Booth Centre. 

The sound gatherers were Peter, Christine and myself.  Here is Peter's poem, which was read to an accompaniment of bird song:

On stage, but in the pages of a book

Water pearls hidden in the 

Hollow of the Great Oak.

In the centre of Booth Wood

Could find a treasure of 

Rubies, diamonds and 

Fresh water pearls.

Day to day my story would not be told

So I start to walk eastward

After awhile, rested by a giant chestnut

It spoke to me, saying I'm full of the 

Colours of the rainbow. 

It was dark. I awoke not knowing 

The direction I came from.

Peter Twigg

Photograph by Peter Twigg

Peter, on location in Didsbury

SING ME TO SLEEP is a partnership between the homeless community in both countries, arthur+martha CIC and VšĮ Socialiniai meno projektai arts organisations, the national gallery in Lithuania, Bury Art Gallery and homeless support organisation The Booth Centre - all of whom have an established reputation of working with marginalised people in pioneering and creative ways.

The project is funded by Arts Council England and the Lithuanian arts and health organisation VšĮ Socialiniai meno projektai.