Mightier than the Sword

Mightier than the sword
artist commission, films, teaching resources, workshops & Exhibition design

Hastings Borough Council commissioned the ROOT 1066 International Festival; a contemporary, multi art form festival, that took place in September/October 2016. Alongside the curated programme, HRAEN funded artists to produce work that will act as an inspirational starting point for schools across Hastings and Rother to respond to the celebration.

I was commissioned to create an original bookwork inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry. This handmade collaged book was designed to inspire local school children to respond and work collaboratively in creating their own. After a CPD session at De La Warr Pavilion using a specially designed downloadable toolkit, I worked closely with four local primary schools to facilitate two short workshops in each school in creating bookworks. The finished bookworks, formed part of an exhibition called 'Mightier than the Sword' at Source Park to coincide with ROOT 1066 Contemporary Arts Festival. Below are further details and photographs of the project.

There were seven elements to the project: Artist Commission, Project Films, Downloadable Toolkit, School Workshops, Exhibition Design, Exhibition Engagement, Website & Promotional Materials

1. artist commission

Bayeux Tapestry Accordion Book
January 2016

I was commissioned by HRAEN to produce an artwork and toolkit for schools.

I designed and made an original 50 foot long accordion folded collaged bookwork to stimulate new artistic response to the imagery, themes and history of the Bayeux tapestry. Pupils were encouraged to create their own individual accordion-fold collaged books, collaborate as a class by joining their pages together into a longer bookwork. Using the Bayeux Tapestry as source material children could interpret the artwork in their own way using collage and abstract art technique.

2. project films

Making the Accordion Book
Video / 3mins

I filmed and edited a three minute film showing the processes involved in making the collaged pages of the accordion bookwork inspired by The Bayeux Tapestry.

Project in Action
Video / 3 mins

I filmed and edited a three minute film showing pupils from Salehurst School working on their accordion book pages. Each pupil worked on a single section of folded paper using a photocopy of the Bayeaux Tapestry as inspiration. The pages were then joined together to form a single book.

3. downloadable TOOLKIT

Mightier Than The Sword Teacher Toolkit
March 2016

I designed an 18-page instructional toolkit for teachers . The toolkit can be downloaded from the Hastings & Rother Artists Education Network website. It contains the following sections:

Introduction / What is an accordion book? / The commissioned work / Project in Action / Materials / Assembling Instructions / Pop-up options / Abstract Art and Collage / Resources

4. schools workshops

Mightier Than The Sword Workshops
June 2016

I facilitated a series of workshops with over 200 pupils across four primary schools in the Hastings & Rother region using the downloadable toolkits as a guide. My toolkit was designed to encourage new ways of thinking about the pictures in Bayeux tapestry, inviting classes to create pages for accordion folded collaged bookworks. Using the tapestry as source material, children were invited to interpret the artwork in their own way using collage and abstract art techniques. Each class then joined their pages together to create books of extraordinary length.

ST PETER AND ST PAUL CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL (4O & 4S)

ARK BLACKLANDS PRIMARY ACADEMY

SALEHURST CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL (BUZZARDS & KESTRELS)

ICKLESHAM CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL (DRAGONFLYS & SPIDERS)

5. exhibition at source park

Mightier Than The Sword Exhibition
Source Skatepark, Hastings
16 July - 16 October 2016

Local schools became involved with the help of Hastings and Rother Arts and Education Network. Working with me and also working independently the schools work was collected, scanned and reprinted for exhibition at Source Park, Hastings. The exhibition ran for three months to coincide with ROOT 1066 Contemporary Arts Festival.

This exhibition presented the work produced by the first of the schools to use these toolkits and take part in workshops which ran in June and July 2016.

6. EXHIBITION DESIGN & Engagement

Exhibition Information Boards & Invite
Source Park

For the exhibition at Source Park I also designed the A0-sized project information boards and the exhibition launch event invites, which were distributed to local schools.

The information boards included Blippable video and audio content.

7. Hastings & rother arts education website design

Hastings & Rother Artist Education Network Website
September 2016

I updated the HRAEN website with the ROOT 1066 / Mightier Than The Sword project images, audio and videos content, and the downloadable toolkits.