Wall of Letters
Wall of Letters (click on the picture to view larger)
Commissioned artist Jane Watt has spent a year researching ideas to make a permanent art work that is integrated into the reopened public space of Christ's Lane. She has talked to a number of people who live and work in the vicinity of Christ's Lane. She has visited both the new and old libraries of Christ's College and seen some of the fascinating archives that are held within the archives including Darwin’s letters, the first edition of Milton’s Paradise Lost, and even mummified plague rats. Jane has also looked through the archives in the public library which have an interesting collection of materials including photographs, catalogues and old posters that provide a glimpse of the public and commercial life of Christ's Lane over the last 150 years.
This research has informed Jane's design of a text-based glass screen that will be covered in thousands of letters which will make a 220 square metre word search. Within the word search there will be many narratives. Some viewers may only find a few words that make up a sentence, whilst others might construct more complicated stories. The words will be gathered from people of all ages who live or work near to Christ’s Lane. They will be asked to donate words, phrases and sentences that evoke real or imagined memories and impressions linked to Christ’s Lane. The words will be collected over several months through meetings, conversations, postcards and email exchanges. Once the screen is installed in autumn 2007, it will be up to the viewer to find words and make their own stories from the words.
Link to page supplied by InSite Arts that will be submitted to wallofletters@insiteartswarwick.co.uk
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