The last few months have been a hive of activity, hence the silence! However, one of the projects I have been working on has come to the end of it’s development. I’m sure there will be opportunities for further people to add their prints, but for now it has drawn to a close.
The Mural was commissioned to mark the Institute Of Criminology’s 60th Anniversary since it was established by Professor Radzinowicz in 1959. Following an Artist Residency in HMP Whitemoor last summer where I worked on murals in two areas, the Fens Unit & CSC. I spent 100hours working with the men over 12 weeks and with a small group of them during their therapy break painted tree trunk and branches then invited the wing to create the canopy of leaves with their hand prints. As many of the researchers at the IOC work in Whitemoor, it seemed appropriate to creat a sister mural in a disused area of the building which until now had born a striking resemblance to a segregation exercise yard.
On the Sidgwick site, in front of the IOC are planted a series of Silver Birch trees, so taking that theme I painted the trunks and branches and invited all people present in the building to create the canopy of leaves with their finger prints. As each did so, I took a photo of them from behind and have created the following montage, which captures the development.
The magpies are a feature, although a bird which has always been of significance to me, it is even more relevant as every evening at dusk a “parliament of magpies” congregate on the buildings around the area, before roosting in the trees for the night. I’m sure it speaks to their intelligence that the ‘Thief Of Birdom’ chooses to hang around the Institute Of Criminology. And so, I have painted Two for Joy…
Enjoy!
