Wednesday, 26 June 2013

A museum in miniature

Objects of our affection
Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, 26 June 2013

We're working with a group of carers to re-label objects at Warrington Museum, creating new viewpoints and stories from items we've encountered in the museum displays and the stores. Not only is this a chance to creatively re-think some of the museum collection, it is also a much-needed respite for the carers from their demanding roles.

By the Fire Sylvia

Seagull, Josie 2013
This week we started in the handling stores, I invited participants to choose 5 objects from 5 different boxes. Objects had to remind them of someone or something, or a time in their life.

They were then given the task of writing about each of their objects in 5 lines. A break from the writing came with an opportunity to play with clay- creating a miniature of one or more of their objects in air dry clay. Then back to the words, choosing the most pertinent line and re-writing it 5 times on a swing tag- changing the order of the words each time. 

Their museum in miniature made me re-look at the objects: In response to taxidermy seagull, Josie wrote 'Never to smell sea or drift along on the wind'... For a clog, Sylvia evoked the memory of the sound and light with 'Sparkling, twinkling with each step' 
I enjoy the thought provoking final line of Derek's swing tag, 'chosen for printing its memories'

Pressed Leaf, Dave 2013

Sparking Clog, Sylvia 2013

Book, Carol 2013

Barge Jug, Derek 2013

Lying in Wait, Christine 2013

Printing Memories, Derek 2013
Derek, Sylvia, Carol and Christine

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