Force of Nature Commission

We have just signed the contract with Museum Sheffield for a commission that will form part of the Force of Nature - landscape inspired Ruskin show held in Millennium Galleries from Decemeber 2012. Below is our initial proposal, which in its inception was a tripartite piece following the Business of Life quote, but after much debate at their end, and frustration at ours, the Accept and Mend pieces were not commissioned - instead its the singular To Know piece that will be made and shown with a text panel declaring its missing friends.

The To Know piece or Press as its become known, is being constructed from oak taken from Kate's farm and slate bought from quarries in Cumbria. The sedimented items and layers are slowly being collected and we like that it gives us another thing to talk about with people, but also an opportunity to invite them to see the finished co-authored item in the gallery. As part of the commission the press will be opened at different pages at different times through out the show, enabling those connected to come to the gallery and see their bit - we are hoping for example the Parson Cross singing group might come and sing their page.

The Business of Life - This work comes in three parts, it is a tripartite work.

Men’s proper business in life falls mainly into three divisions:
First, to know themselves, and the existing state of the things they have to do with.
Secondly, to be happy in themselves, and in the existing state of things.
Thirdly, to mend themselves, and the existing state of things, as far as either are marred and mendable.
Ruskin, John. Sinclair, William. Selections from the writings of John Ruskin. London: Robert Culley c.1908.

Each of the Three Pieces will have individual titles:

To Know  - A type of flower press that contains sedimented finds. This work a sculptural piece, will be made by Kate and Steve with the communities of Parson Cross and North Sheffield. Each layer within the press will contain relevant items – flowers, drawings, quotes, sounds…... relating to the groups and people we meet. These will be collected by Steve and Kate. The press acts as a metaphor for the current “known” within the communities.

To Accept – An unframed fine pencil drawing by Kate of a natural item. The works represents both an acceptance of skill but also a celebration of existing things, their inherent beauty and also of course death.

To Mend – is an intervention, a physical act - the temporary stopping of the Millennium Galleries escalator twice a day.  It asks the audience to consider the environment, to stop, to walk and to continually nourish themselves through the act of looking anew.