Did you see it?

Just wanted to mention a programme on Channel 4 on saturday night that I saw at my friend’s house – it was brilliant. I think it’s called the Big Art Project, and it’s a series about how various groups of people around the uk are making choices about what public art they want to see in their local area. They’ll be commissioning and planning it all. A group of school children in Burnley want their town to be known for something other than the race riots, and were exploring the idea of a hidden underground town created with ‘invisible’ paintings that come into life with a UV light on, a group of ex miners want a monument to the past but that looks to the future, residents in Cardigan are looking at an incredible idea combining sound and words with light globes on a river that you’d have to see to get the idea of! Too complicated to explain, but my friend’s kids loved the concept and want to make one of their own now!

Lots of different people having a vision about how art can impact upon their patch. It was great to hear the artists they’re considering for these huge mulitmillion pound projects talking about how they need to get a sense of the place and understand what it feels like before they can come up with ideas. One artist planned to live for a few weeks with his family on the isle of Mull … so I think it has a lot in common with our project in terms of getting a sense of place. Worth watching online and if there are any other episodes still left, I saw a bit of one the previous week too…. and check out the cooling towers saga…..