This page is a bit of a scrap book for some of my writing.

                                              Attention

     You can choose where you shine you shine your light,
                   You choose where you shine your light,
                                 You can shine your light,
                                              You're light,
                                                    Shine
                                                        .
 
2019 poem

​

Walking in the Future

With the light faded across the sky, beautiful streaks of orange and pink dancing across the dark blues and purples and I stepped stepped stepped in time with the funky music that really made me think I should head to a club not home.
I liked how it felt to be dressed in the right amount of fabric to keep me warm but cool on this less than balmy summer night, and others looked relaxed too as they moved around in a still way.
Music engages me in a way that makes me feel like bursting with emotion, it’s hard to stay walking in a regular rhythm, and if I do, the regularity becomes so intense that it’s like drumming but that’s OK because everyone is drumming with me. But they’re not, and they’re further from me than usual.
They can’t hear my music, it’s for my ears only. I’m neither smug nor sad about that, it’s just the way it is. I like having a soundtrack.
Until – well – that was OK too – but it was a surprise to realise I was dead.
A beautiful woman whom I can call a friend, cycled towards me in the park, the remaining light bounced off her skin and her eyes were sparkling, looking forward into the night ahead. I smiled, but she did not blink, not flinch, she was so immersed in her own existence that mine did not become part of it. At all.
I didn’t mind, walking, with my music, feeling warm and cool and thinking maybe I looked different in my own world so she didn’t recognise me.
Then a group of three approached on the long, long straight road ahead of me. They looked happy. I enjoyed we were all walking on this road, enjoying the night: steppety step. And I realised I knew one of them, not trying to catch his eye but expecting to, I smiled a bit, enjoying them approaching in time with MY music. But he didn’t see me, none of them did, they passed centimetres from my face, entirely un-distracted, laughing, together, I didn’t exist.
Well, I like weird, it was a cool walk. The next person who approached I looked directly at and smiled a bit, she didn’t ignore me, nor acknowledge me.
Wow. This must be what it’s like to be dead, I thought.
Passing beneath a tree I touched the leaves above me and they felt beautiful, real, and surreal under the orange streetlights. And I continued my familiar stomp home, along that long straight road. Car headlights looked pretty and I could stare through the windows at the drivers confident in the knowledge they couldn’t see me. No wolf whistles for me tonight! There are some benefits to being the walking dead.
I thought of old friends who have passed, and how I’m glad I slow down when the wind blows, and stop when something feels different, for maybe that’s when I am passing them by, as they walk with their music, their light, and their own world too.
​
2014 creative writing

​Red Line

A dusty red line
Is blowing on the breeze
Tears stain red
On faces with lives stolen
Red dust makes it hard to breathe

2013 poem

Reflections on Collaboration - Feasibility and Sustainability
​
Introduction

Public Art South West has commissioned Lee Simmons to write about her practice as an artist, specifically the various collaborative methods she has been part of and how sustainable they may or may not be.

A key underlying question running through this report is; how can artwork reach out and partner neighbouring disciplines, for example regeneration, design, and health, yet maintain conceptual rigour and interest, and therefore sustained passion and dedication from the artist?
I started writing in August 2009 from my situation in a shared studio at Trinity Buoy Wharf and a cooperative called Sanford Walk that I’d lived in since 2007. I wanted to advocate collaborative live / work methods as practical and conceptual art projects (and therefore explorations for potential solutions to a host of modern day environmental and health concerns).

Live / Work
Situations and places that artists live and work within for the duration of a project.

Sanford Housing Cooperative involves shared ownership of an entire street. The democratic decision making process, creative projects and constant internal building projects provide a sustainable environment for individuals to live and work within, engaging with the projects most suited to them.
There are functional and affordable washing, cooking and sleep facilities. Each resident has a private room and pays an equal rent, decided by the cooperative as a whole.
“It has also allowed for more of a balanced lifestyle, whilst close to the subject I am working with, it is possible to cook, sleep and exercise regularly, file and store work, have a legal address, and a base to work and travel from without the threat of a landlord selling on your work (as with a warehouse I was in before) and the ability to choose who you live with and how much you are able to work on in house projects at a time.” Diary entry
The situation at Sanford does allow for a lot of creativity - people set up their own projects and are able to work on their immediate environments with shared ownership.
However it can also lend to the Cooperative overspending as a whole, with people using the environment and facilities for pet projects, or when more confident members push their ideas onto others. Conscientious members can also become overworked by carrying less active residents along.
For artists living and working at the Cooperative it can be distracting, interruptive and can also bring on a sense of guilt for working on personal pieces rather than something for the live-in community.
It can also be stimulating, inspiring and an opportunity to skill share and pool information and resources, which can help to progress knowledge and experience when cost prevents people from accessing further education, training, and early experience in the arts and practicing environments.
"I live in Sanford Housing Cooperative and share a studio at Trinity Buoy Wharf. I spent a year working in my bedroom at Sanford and found the experience quite isolating, difficult to concentrate, very hard to ever properly switch off, and I was in a constant mess. Having a separate workspace in a different location has helped massively with all of the above, although it does mean I'm not at home all that much. For me, I think the most important thing is to have a workspace that is separate from my living space." A.Hillman, photographer
 
Warehouse Conversions

Another example of a live/work option that has polemic pros and cons was a project in Manor House, North London, where I helped develop a live/work space.
This project involved paying for the use of the premises, and it was obvious that a clear and thorough contract from the outset was crucial to protect the work put into the space and the interests of all the parties involved.
The building process of the property was all encompassing and expensive, and made it difficult to work on other art pieces and freelance work during this time. We had no privacy, and were without walls for at least four months. Warehouse spaces are very cold in winter and hard to heat, and hot in summer and difficult to ventilate. Although there was an unparalleled freedom and creativity of living and working in such a large space, I also experienced an unusual testing of personal boundaries.

“Wednesday 8.30am. I woke up in a grouch today, probably because the noise last night didn’t stop until after I was asleep which was well after 3, and it is a hot day, and there is no window in my room so it’s stuffy: there is only one to the outside space which means I am able to see other people in the warehouse, and them me. Unfortunately when I was pushing for the rooms to have windows and the exhibition space to have walls, I didn’t push hard enough.
It’s tested my personal comfort zone, there has been no privacy at all, it’s dirty, noisy, uncomfortable, confusing and I am still here, still working, still meeting up with friends, still thinking about how to utilise this experience.

The positives of this living situation are:
1- Learning about living and working with others 24 hours and with no privacy
2- Redeveloping and defining a space through living and working in it
3- Considering usages for these spaces and how develop them
4- Decision making strategies, learnings around compromise and negotiation
5- Not being able to make much independent work so accepting the live / work crossover and making work from and around that critically” Diary extract
A similar project in a warehouse in Dalston involved 3 artists building studios, rooms and a gallery space, which ran for 5 years, although it did involve several change-overs of artists involved in the scheme.
Although photographs, exhibitions and events are examples of how the space facilitated creative output, the administration of the gallery ultimately frustrated the artists, taking them away from their own creative practices. Maintaining a large, hard to heat space also took up a lot of time and resources.
 
Artist-led Initiatives
Art projects that begin and end with the artists rather than a commissioning body.

Here follow accounts of three very different artist groups that I have worked within, that each reveal interesting contrasts and highlight some of the varied approaches and aims that artist led initiatives and projects can encompass.

Alt.SPACE

A network of artists’ research and research groups, that evolved from artist collaborations and friendships. Participants organised and took part in reading groups and projects, critically outside of dominant institutions and educational establishments.
Core members met regularly for a few years in London, whilst maintaining a continuous flexible wider network nationally and internationally via Skype and web based social media, along with meetings in person where possible.
C.Cred (artists collective) hosted annual alt.SPACE events for a number of years before amalgamating with some of their partners.
“It's not a question of two different projects or groups per se, just an extension or development of one project into another.” Ola Stahl, founding member of C.Cred and alt.SPACE

An organisers group of seven people naturally formed to host the alt.SPACE Festival in London in 2007. Over a six week period the artists and artist groups met in person and developed a publication, hosted talks, discussion groups, walking projects and artist open mike nights amongst other related activities.
The initial idea was to use Space Media Arts in Hackney, London for six weeks as a base where participants and collaborators would live and work together; however the complications and bureaucracy of hosting a durational event here meant the festival became peripatetic, using domestic and public space as well as a variety of arts venues. This ranged from each others houses to camping, reading groups in parks, gallery education rooms and universities.
The spaces used were provided free of charge, participants and presenters did not receive a fee, and they pooled together for food and materials. Any income that was generated was shared to cover the costs as far as possible of putting on the events. There was no charge for taking part in this festival at any point.
Following the festival the group members dispersed, living in different countries; which made it difficult to continue the working method they had used so far, that was very reliant on face to face meetings, friendship and conviviality. The project continued with close reading groups that were easier to administrate and largely over the web.
“I suppose it could have worked - I mean, it did work, to some extent, when we were in Philly - busy Skype schedules, a lot of recordings made, etc. But I suppose it takes more energy, more motivation and ambition, to keep it going on a 'remote participation' basis than it does when everyone is in the same place, sharing, to a larger extent, a life (similar experiences, everyday hassles and joys, etc.).” O. Stahl

Collaborations still occur between participants on a smaller, closer scale and the website www.alt.SPACE.info remains as a point of reference and is open to change with new interest, time, resources or participants.
To continue the festival components it would have been necessary to have some income for time spent, particularly on administration; though with a more formal approach much of the essence of the project that worked for a significant time would be altered.

X (artists group)

A group of artists who were naturally helping each other with projects and spending time together out of friendship, mainly in East London, began to use a space between Hoxton and Hackney to hold exhibitions and events. After approximately six months of exhibitions, in 2004, a need to formalise the group and apply for funding was recognised.
Over a 3 year period over 20 artists, emerging, unknown and established, exhibited for free and with little censorship. There was an idea of this being a stepping stone to larger organisations with many of the artists’ practices being gallery based, along with the interest in creating exhibitions that otherwise would be impossible, even illegal, in London galleries.
Giving up your own time and resources to be a platform for others to achieve, often thanklessly, proved to be only sustainable in the short term. This did prove to be a stepping stone that had served many people well, but in many ways was also an unhelpful use of time and one ultimately quite unrewarding and disheartening.
“I just feel like I wasted a lot of time on it and I'm happier just doing my own art/music projects.” Anon

Lockwood Artists Group
​
A group of artists began working in studios at Lockwood Day Centre in Guildford, Surrey, alongside the disabled artists and centre users in 2005. There was a vision of what would be achieved from the outset therefore a constitution was written, members formally assumed roles within the group and funding was achieved for an inaugural exhibition.
Management of the building were regularly consulted and the local council offered regular support. Karl Newman from Surry County Council provided assistance and guidance from the outset, particularly with fundraising and providing contacts.
Three years later the group continue to have an annual exhibition and run creative businesses from within the organisation that is now registered as a Limited Company.
Having the base at Lockwood and funding helped continue the project and gave all of the artists support with scheduling, presenting and advertising their work.
The support of the institution and the local government has also assisted the sustainability of the project, though can slow down the creative process due to the legal formalities.
“The project has really moved on, it’s now registered as a Limited Company...[and] it can be slow and frustrating between Lockwood and the Council”, Craig Hills founding member

Conclusion

Artist-led Initiatives present opportunities to create work and events that otherwise would be the domain of established organisations and institutions. They can also inform and sustain a practice that generates networks, and provides opportunities for collaboration, dynamic platforms for ideas, thoughts, concepts, skill sharing and general peer support.
It seems that no matter how nomadic the theories and tendencies of the group or organisation are - a place to come and go from, continue a discourse and have as a point of geographical and personal reference can assist sustainability.
Equally, to know when it is time to move on, re-focus and allow new blood a chance to work with the space can be a helpful and natural progression. For example, situations such as a cooperative residential project, that offer cheap rent and a creative platform for ideas would function more effectively and positively if people moved on when they lost the motivation or ability to contribute.
Following significant collaborative, and particularly organisational projects, artists often go on to work with formal project spaces, public buildings, or take on freelance work with the skills they have developed (e.g. design, curating, teaching), and continue the work in closer collaborations, smaller studios and less demanding, more specific live/work spaces. This seems a helpful and natural way to further disseminate ideas and develop a personal trajectory – though I wonder if it would be the case if more support were available.
A typical collaborative working method involves shifting between disciplines and forming part of regular partnerships. For an artist, maintaining an independent status is a real issue. This may be something that commissioners and employees might consider in contracts, for example factoring in copyright ownership and the owning and crediting of ideas.
It is desirable to gain more recognition and support for the wide benefits of the creative ideas coming from such grass roots communities, and to establish platforms for the groups and individuals exploring them to have output and longevity with their projects. This would help create links into wider society and artistic networks without hijacking or diluting vision, methods and aims.

2009, essay, originally published by Public Art Online

Public Art Commissioning from within a community.

Introduction
Sanford Housing Cooperative – a leafy street in New Cross Gate, London, sandwiched between the East London rail line, Sanford Street and the infamous Cold Blow Lane - is the oldest purpose built cooperative in London.

Built in 1971 and run in co-ownership by the 130 diverse residents, with little to no hierarchy, it can provide an unusual example of bottom up public art commissioning, with a sustainable community legacy. Residents cultivate their homes in constant collaboration, whilst continuing to go about their lives locally and globally.

In close proximity to this unusual street is Goldsmiths University, City (Canary Wharf), Trinity Buoy Wharf and the Laban Centre as well as Deptford High Street, home to Deptford X annual arts festival (for over a decade); recently hosting a Tesco Metro (as of the first week of October 2009) and plans for a further store where the much loved flea market currently exists.
The new railway being built next to the developing Sainsbury’s has also had an impact (1).

‘Sanfordites’ have involvement in all these areas that operate with such different organisational structures, as well as the more underground creative and eco schemes. It is a fascinating resource to draw from when thinking about private and public ownership of land, urban planning and commissioning of schemes.
Describing some of the projects that have taken place at Sanford from the inside to out, I hope to provide a helpful insight to these commissioning processes. This information has been gathered through interviewing (chatting with) people involved with the projects and through personal experience as a participating resident since 2007; which is in keeping with the organic nature of the place.
The following text consists of a brief overview of how the street was set up and currently functions as a piece itself, and three internal projects; the development of the garden, a bike shed and a carbon reduction project that includes new kitchens.

Overview of Sanford Cooperative
This street was originally built as a solution to student housing problems, by a core group of people who then lived there. They took out a loan and built 14 houses with 10 rooms in each and 6 flats on wasteland creating a dynamic community. The street has since hosted a biker community and now accommodates many artists, musicians and environmentalists and a variety of others with different interests.
The safety - psychological and actual security of regular communication (2), cheap rent (£50 a week inclusive) and active social life within the community creates an incision, an air pocket to the general functioning of London – the private and public housing schemes and the squatting movement. This is legal whilst autonomous.

It is encouraged and expected that residents work for the coop to contribute more than just financially, which happens through taking officer positions, general maintenance and other activities that can help sustain and move the project forwards.

Some people are encouraged by this situation to be extremely pro-active; some appear to take advantage whether consciously or by default.

“In the 80’s it was almost a squat, there was no managing agent and people weren’t paying their rent. Hyde Housing (housing management) were then brought in and after a few years CDS (Co-operative Development Services) were employed by the coop to manage their finances.“ G. White (previous Gardens Officer)

Residents in breach of their contract through uncooperative behaviour for example not paying their rent, and embarking in substance abuse can be evicted. In the past it has been a drugs haven and is currently more of a pro-active environmentally conscious and socially aware community. This is an example of a project that grows and adapts, without a detached group leader to enforcing behaviours. Residents move towards greater care slowly and consistently.
“Ten to fifteen years ago Sanford was run by three people whom lived in the flats, the shift to democracy was a long process. The community now runs the cooperative after collectively deciding this is what they wanted as elements were clearly not working.” G. White (early Gardens Officer)

“We wanted to become more eco at Sanford so a core team of four formed to look into this. It started with the boilers, which were old, about fifteen years. Possibilities were taken to meetings and blossomed out to green roofs, etc.” A. Cormick (most recent Gardens Officer)
Here follow the examples of projects that have developed within the project. How they were instigated, implemented and continued with consideration to the working methods and approaches of individuals. With their differing approaches, experience and interests, it aims to convey how teams have formed and adapted to the in house and individual project aims.

C60 / Kitchens
“This was top down, so I didn’t like it – the work would be project managing rather than creative. I prefer to find practical solutions as opposed to paper planning. Also I thought a district heating system – one boiler rather than seven would be more appropriate, I didn’t like the electric gadgetry.” G. White
“Sanford projects are a bottom up process. As opposed to the top down commissioning nature of the council and most corporate organisations” A. Cormick

The Energy Saving Trust provided a survey, grant and feasibility study. A financial study looked into how much needed to be borrowed. Grants were received from the council and the energy savings trust. £600,00.00 came from Sanford’s savings and Triodos bank provided a loan of over £1000,000.00.
“Wind and ground sources were rejected and an initial district heating with gas back up design was rejected by members. Boilers have now been split between two houses, creating shared responsibility, solar hot water and heat recovery systems have been installed, lighting and insulation improved.” J. Noble (Current elected Chairman)
Through an in house questionnaire used at Sanford for the C60, kitchens came up overwhelmingly as needing improvement; so the coop employed an interior designer from the Centre of Alternative Technology and re-employed the J3 project managers – who had managed much of C60. Three kitchen proposals were put forward and residents made various style decisions.

There has been deterioration of the kitchens, which is disappointing and will hopefully be followed up though the final payments have been made. One of the problems of working without a formally assumed role and shared responsibility; is that it is easy for issues with contractors to slip through the net.

One house opted to create their entire kitchen, eventually opting out of the overall project. The result is successful, though all of the residents that were originally keen to do this moved out during the process, for various reasons
Following a long building process and kitchen sharing during the refurbishments, they are the heart of the homes, where people relax and spend time together.

Time goes over – we’re learning while doing, in our spare time, so people need to be patient.’ A. Cormick

Sanford won the Inside Housing Refurbishment award of the year 2008 for the carbon reduction project.

Ponds and gardens
The gardens are crucial to the sense of community at Sanford Walk, providing valued social space used for varied activities including work, study, social gatherings, exercise and performance. They are a key reason why many of the residents live here and attract national and international interest. (3)
“There was little design – drawings right at the beginning were made about the site, but the project was largely made up as it developed, bearing in mind options that surfaced along the way.” G. White, on building a water feature; which has resulted in an elaborate design based on an eight star constellation. This method is applicable to the outdoor space in general.

White asked at a COM (4), for an £8000.00 budget to complete the ponds, which was agreed. Three ponds were then created where a large hole had already been excavated. It took about three months to run ideas through the resident builders – deciding on methods.  White admits he became quite dictatorial once the team (of three) had started working.

It took over a year to get the large water feature, that you can walk around and sit in / on, functioning. New fish were bought and added to the pre-existing stock. The Coy Carp grew according to the depth of the pond and two new catfish unfortunately ate the smaller fish. Since completing the ponds and to this day “there been no real accidents, though a lot of people have fallen in.” G. White.

There was no evaluation or feedback process, or opening party. Filling the ponds with water is the only identifiable ending to this densely utilised and much loved project.

Bike shed
A recent new building designed by resident architect Christos Choraitus, commissioned and built by the residents is adjacent to the wall and proposed sound barrier for the rail track, and includes a roof garden with fruit trees, plants and flowers.
“Bikes had always been a problem, it was an ongoing issue at meetings. It went quiet for a year then Christo’s idea popped up in 2005, already designed. People asked questions so he created a model, which answered them, along with detailed, cool drawings. The design and the budget were approved, it was to be paid by Sanford.” Simone Koch (resident).

A further two years passed at which point there was a renewed interest and belief in projects from new tenants. The foundations were marked out in real space, passed by the majority of residents, materials ordered and an in house team identified who could help build the structure. There was no deadline other than the architect’s plans to go travelling for a year, in approximately one year’s time.

There were two opening parties, one for the main structure of the bike shed as part of Sanford Arts Day with a performance amalgamating three projects: “I” piece (‘my’ art project), The Impossible (band and dancers) and the bike shed. This took place throughout the street also celebrating the new kitchens with artwork displayed on the walls and in the windows.
When the roof garden was complete there was another celebration, purely of this project where press were invited along with people working in design and environmental fields.

Conclusion
Self-sustaining, engaging and amalgamating the local community, this street naturally encourages and facilitates further initiatives and collaborations. Creative projects take place in the locality and reach out nationally and internationally. It can be considered as an exemplary piece of community and / or public art, a sculpture, forward thinking grassroots urban planning and intervention.

People have different ideas, different communal living ideas – a lot have Westernised conditioning, that it’s ’their project’ and adopt varied levels of consultation.” A. Cormick
Things freed up once there was a democratic way of working and an elected chair. Sanford was changing, with only three to four vacancies a month compared to the previous twelve or so; it was becoming more stable. It’s now seen more as a street of homes because of this duration. People are more inclined to look after the place if staying on.” G. White

With the current financial climate, environmental awareness and global awareness rising; this small slice of land and the people that live here are providing a contemporary and achievable solution to many of the wide spread issues of city dwelling on an individual and collective basis. John Vidal of The Guardian, describes it as ‘one of the most ambitious low carbon developments in Britain today’. (5)

“In the years I’ve been here the area has been gentrified in light of some unpleasant history. The whole area was known for violence and drugs. That is being changed. Though we’re not part of the deliberate government project to develop the New Cross area, it is happening – we’ve changed ourselves.” J. Noble


2009, essay, originally published by IXIA public art think tank 

​Spaces in the city; natural phenomenon of the everyday      

 Introduction –

“A sense of connection with nature – our root, can enable us to appreciate our present more fully, to experience full moments within any environment by finding the properties of nature within that environment.”

Before I begin an analysis of a sub-conscious state, lets consider with an open mind a sense of moment. Think about a time when you felt highly tuned to the world, to your situation within the world, and a sense of presence in the present was heightened. I will be referring to a consciousness state such as this, though am aware that it will vary between individuals, I am sure that there are some common factors, such as the process of sub-conscious thought or pre-thought; and to the place of this state of mind in everyday life, in relation to elements which can bring on or cloud this mindset; especially elements that can be manipulated by public art and design methods.

Elements that contribute to this state are often considered more apparent within a rural space than an urban one, to point to the natural elements as a direct route or stimuli to a highly tuned sense of awareness; for though the statement can be strongly supported, there is also contradictory material, though in less abundance. The essay will not be focusing entirely on this point; though it will be discussed as an exploration into the spaces within the city; ways of achieving a sense of moment, of slow time and space within the urban environment, the aim is to embrace change and to move forward positively whilst maintaining a connection to our accepted root in the natural world. Therefore improving the quality of urban living particularly in ‘public’ spaces.

Wordsworth can be referenced to both sides of this argument:

‘One impulse from a vernal wood
may teach you more of man
of moral evil and of good than all the sages can
Sweet is the lore which nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous form of things
We murder to dissect.
Grant, Harris, 1996, p14

 Let us now consider his reflection upon London, from the vantage point of Westminster bridge in 1802: 

“ Earth has not anything to shew more fair.” The great poet of the nineteenth century natural world wonders upon “the beauty of the morning as it irradiates ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples”,
“Never did the sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendor valley, rock or hill”.
P410/411 biography of London – Peter Ackroyd

Evolution has it that we will continue to detach from the origin in a rural environment, though this does not mean that we detach from nature itself, or from the properties that can achieve a sense of awareness, a pre-thought condition of moment.

‘No matter how far culture will go to destroy its connections to nature, human kind and all of our technology, good and bad, are irestricable parts of Nature – the original detriment, the mother and matrix of everything, that all-pervasive structure that lies beneath scenery, landscape, place and human history.’
Lucy R.Lippard, The Lure of the Local, P.11

Nature is everything, therefore it is the city, the city is an organic structure; though it is a developed evolved version of the situation from which we are derived, and therefore from which our minds function in their most natural state.

Andy Goldsworthy is continually referring to natural law in his sculptural work, he discusses how nature goes beyond what is called countryside, how everything comes from the earth. Some of his work is made in doors with urban and industrial materials in an attempt to discover nature in these things also; he discovers that it is more difficult to find nature in materials far removed from their source. (Goldsworthy 1990)

‘At first glance you do not perceive how the natural law works. You must first look for it, investigate…our work is given form in order that it may function, in order that it may be a functioning organism. To achieve the same as nature, but to produce something that says: it is as in nature’.
Tower on Klee and Kandinsky 1981, p170

There are many areas that will be touched upon, whilst questioning the concept of a heightened state in the city, environmental conditions such as light, space and time will be discussed as well as sound. I would like you to consider this essay as a plant; the stem being the subject of a sense of moment in the city, the leaves being the above mentioned sub-headings and nature being at the root of the plant; having briefly introduced the previously explored notion of nature as root and natural order the concept -the stem will be explored with reference to the leaves (above described topics) made to show the plant.
The basic form of the leaves will be conveyed for due to the infinite possibilities and depth of each leaf –and I am certain that if you look further into any one of them you will find a wealth of information to support the specific point - I will cover only what is primary to the communication of the stem and overall plant.

I will begin by discussing more of the condition of ‘moment’ and of the importance of this condition. I believe and argue that it is necessary to enhance properties in the every day that can bring on this state. I will proceed to discuss the factor of time and space in relation to the state of mind, and phenomenon found in everyday surroundings.
This will be followed by a consideration of ways in which the state can be brought on through interactions with the physical design of the city, including examples of minor interchanges that I made within London to test these theories. 

Ch 1 – a sense of moment, the psychological sate – intuition.
what constitutes as sense of moment focusing on environmental conditions, using examples derived from interviews and references to other artists and writers.

Ch 2 –a sense of present, in attaining a positive sense of present there is a need for freedom, for open space whilst maintaining a sense of connection. the need for root, root as definition of present- past present overlap, bringing us to notions of time

Ch 3 – a sense of present moment in an urban space. Notions of time – discussing mechanical time, and time space predictions, debate and reference to case studies such as the mill in Cornwall, Canada.
Time space compression, methods of counteraction in the design world – case studies – own and those of other researchers.

The conclusion will consider responses to the subject matter in terms of Art and Design.


 Chapter One – A sense of moment

To perform to the highest possible level where feeling and thinking is one is achieved when in a heightened state, this activity relies on subconscious thought, reflex, instinct, and pre-thought. These combine to achieve a  heightened state, often triggered or accessed through sport, an element of danger or a heightened concentration on a particular task. However, degrees of this state can also be brought on through environmental circumstance that prompt a ‘stop’, as photographer Lara Cadenazzi named it. (Photographers have provided valuable feedback on this subject due to the detached involvement and observatory nature of the described state.)
Intuitive thinking, it can be strongly argued, is essential to everyday life, to live in a logical, ordered environment, one of speed - this intuition takes an even greater importance, though is it clouded by the buzz and noise of the city? Intuition is often disregarded in the west, considered ungrounded, non-objective; which is a wasteful reaction for our intuition is simply a different way of thinking or observing to that which society is generally accustomed; not the accepted conscious or intellectual thought process it is in fact a much faster method of observation or deduction. George Kuhlewind explains this thought process

‘Observation must be directed to living thinking. Living thinking is the process of super sensory power out of which the already thought appears. What we usually call thinking is really the appearance of past thoughts.’ (Kuhlewind, 1984, p30) ‘I think – I know that I have thought – I think the knowledge that I have thought’ p51

Therefore to detach oneself from this process would surely result in a mechanical universe and mechanical thought process; or perhaps it results in the same thought process but a ‘logical’ interpretation of it. A detachment or denial of the root of the thought…

‘Generally you’ll make a decision according to the feeling, to what we call the intuitive quality, generally what you’ll do is re-arrange facts or give different weighting to facts, so as to make the quality be the rational reason on what you’ve based the decision. Which is to say it’s not a rational universe at all. We just make reasons.’
 Turrell, 192, p39 

We are not machines, yet a lifestyle is rapidly descending upon us where machine and science are integrated into unfamiliar ground to humanity so far. An example given by a writer on the subject of counteracting time-space compression is to embrace a sense of play.

 Quote David R time-space p279 

To elaborate on this we can consider attention to detail as a means of achieving a sense of play within everyday surroundings, concentrating on a detail to bring about a sense of wonder, as if experiencing the object or element of the surrounding environment for the first time. 

‘When we were children, everyday seemed filled with wonder and joy of what we saw and experienced. We discovered the world little by little as it unfolded before our eyes. It was actually not the world that was new, but our experience of it, and the intensity with which we sucked it all in. Clouds, thunder, shadows, snowflakes landing on your hand, were our thrilling experiences. As we grow older we pay less attention to the present and more towards distant goals. The wonder of daily life simply disappears because we have seen it all before.’ 
Silke Heneka, ‘letter from the sky’, The Vital Coincidence p34

Through successful prompts toward such an outlook within a standard space an element of play can be brought to a standard activity, through an enhancement of details - natural elements and / or origin. 

Michael Swerving when interviewing John Cage proposed that:

‘The most advanced thought and art of our time brings man back to his proper situation within nature.’ Kostelanetz, 1991, p 147

Therefore would advanced development enhance the situation of urbanization to bring forth an awareness and sense of place in universe – this in turn bringing us back to our ‘proper situation within nature’ whilst within the urban environment and a constantly evolving society?

Sun Tzu discusses the infinite possibilities that arise from ‘base’ – five musical notes, primary colours, tastes… 

‘The direct and the indirect lead onto each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle – you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?’
Clavell, 1981, p32

Lets consider some of the statements given by parties interviewed in relation to a sense of awareness…
One of my questions asked if any particular environment might stimulate a heightened sense of awareness or consciousness. The answers almost always pointed to an out of doors situation  - though the examples were extremely varied in type; from woodland walks to cycling down a busy high street. Though much fewer, there were some indoor experiences; sitting at home in silence, watching a fish tank and playing computer games.
When asked to generalize people without exception preferred open natural spaces; and there was rarely a reference to a situation where time was a factor. Most examples described a sense of attachment, involvement, though often combined with a sense of distance or alienation; which I will allow myself to put next to observation. 

Light was an important factor – all preferred a natural light of either a steady or dappled quality; air quality was important – mainly a gentle breeze, always clean, often described as crisp or sharp air- and the sense of slowed time that might be experienced underwater; when in a situation of danger or of extreme concentration.

Silence was also a preferred factor; even absolute silence though there were many suggestions that a gentle background noise such as the rustling of leaves, or a gentle breeze blowing through a space; also the sound of water would be beneficial. Background noise considered negative were the noise of traffic and the ticking of a watch.
It is interesting that silence was such a preferred condition for I expected people might find it too intense or oppressive. The state brought on by silence can be described as a timeless sense of limbo.

And if we relate this to a passage of time, and the focus on distant goals or accomplishment as opposed to reach or journey - when in a sense of moment there is no rush; the minute that thoughts move to the result, the moment becomes lost.


Chapter Two––A sense of present 

The notion of root, past to form the present- in order to have awareness of the present we look to the past, where and what is the overlap? If we look to the past for positive progression; would this also help to achieve a sense of present of could it prove detrimental?
Each quote will be discussed in relation to the above and to each other.

-Lucy Lippard on Globalization

‘London has been continuously inhabited for over two thousand years, that is its strength, and its attraction. It affords the sensation of permanence, of solid ground. That is why the vagrant and the dispossessed lie in its streets; that is why the inhabitants of Harrow or Corydon, call themselves “”Londoners”. Its history calls them, even if they do not know it, they are entering a visionary city”.
P767-768
Biography of London, Peter Ackroyd

‘Even the most sedentary practices of individual and collective dwelling are parallel to, and secretly over shadowed by, the desire for uprootedness and flight from the tyranny of place, if only for a weekend – the archaic dream of infinite space and the liberative re-ordering of existential parameters of life. What that dream, and the whole nomadic perspective pre-supposes is the existence of the open, unconquered and uncultivated space (the ‘smooth space’ in Deleuzean terms) However, the possibility of the real existence of such a space in our contemporary circumstances where the information and communication processes eclipse every physical and geographic dimension, is a very dubious proposition’.
‘ A nomadic perspective’

The way passing time is experienced and interpreted is extremely subjective; varying from one individual to another, and from place to place. A strong case can be made that people desire more time, and through seeking to overcome the clock we actually speed up the passing moments. 
What constitutes this time space compression? It can come right back to the numerical ordering of time consider a way of life whereby time is measured according to an event.

The process of globalisation arguably speeds up time and shrinks spaces, this is known as time-space compression, indicative of a future catastrophe of claustrophobia brought on by faster travel, telecommunications and sedentary lifestyles. There is predicted to be a severe lack of space, a lack of time, a lack of physical experience. By embracing the journey and the process of an activity, rather than rushing to the result - time-space compression can be reduced. However, the human nature is to achieve, to push for more, to want - it is our seemingly constant generic programming. 

‘While nomadism is usually an un-stable and weak condition, connectedness, on the other hand, generates a sense of stability.’
P.19 ‘Social change, technology and the dual city’

A balance between freedom and connection accomplished is a recipe for positive moment sensations.

 “At the end of the century, there will not be much left of the expanse of a planet that is not only polluted but also shrunk, reduced to nothing, by the teletechnologies of generalized interactivity’.
Paul Virillo, Open sky, p21

“It was Bseant who remarked on his deathbed, “I’ve been walking about London for the last thirty years, and I find something fresh in it every day,” an observation which could be confirmed by almost any admirer of London.’


These statements contradict each other, are there spaces in the city? Is it a matter of personal experience; Bsants statement is made prior to Virilios but they are both close enough to be fairly compared. (On graffiti found in the tower of London) ‘ In many ways the prison itself seems to be treated as an image of the world, or of the city, which will perhaps lend further significance to another graffito found upon a London wall – “I can’t breathe”.
P194

As an introduction to mechanical time let us consider the words of Peter Ackroyd in his description of London City:

“London set up and dominated the time of the entire country. With the central position of Greenwich, it might even be said to control the time of the world. There was also the phenomenon of “railway time”, so that the locomotives speeding out of London set the time for the provincial stations through which they passed.
In twentieth century London too, time rushes forward and is everywhere apparent, it hangs upon neon boards and is illuminated on the front of office buildings’
‘It might even be suggested that the general and characteristic obsession of London is with time itself.’
663

Written in regard to London the statement can be applied to any global city.

Chapter Three – the present moment in an urban space 

I am testing this theory on three sites, one being marble arch, juxtaposition of to draw attention to, mundane yet beautiful details; the second involves the juxtaposition of an escalator at Canary Wharf, and comparison of the hypnotic imagery of the light and colour moving rhythmically across the metal structure alongside the light on the water on exiting the station is visibly highlighted to passers by and their reactions documented.

Thirdly at the South Bank, people will be questioned as to their present feeling; a puddle will be juxtaposed photographically and in the creation of a fake puddle, made of resin with images as reflections inset, the puddle will have purposeful replication of the naturally occurring properties, it will act as a frame or a photograph. 

I have also been talking to people on Oxford Street, asking them for their perception of moment and looking for spaces of calm within the busy area between Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street, this is a test carried out at all three sites, the question ‘how do you feel at this moment I time?’ is asked to randomly selected people. Generally I had the best results at Marble Arch once out of the station, though at the South Bank I received reasonably detailed responses; within a station there were generally one word answers and on more than one occasion I was told ‘ I don’t have time!’ Oxford Street resulted in a few considered answers though I was generally ignored.

I placed posters at the doorway of a shop, with an image and a message ‘Always we are acting’, I was surprised at the amount of people that did actually stop to read the poster, their reactions were varied, some found it humerous, some seemed curious, though many gave no indication of a reaction at all.

Within Oxford Street I found a time spaces were varied, the ‘other world’ of the department store dictated its own time, as do the designed stop spaces of cafés and restraints which design their own rythmn. A space / place of interest was a building site just off the street which possessed an ambience and a totally different feeling to the outside - even from simply looking in this feeling could be experienced. I placed an image of the space on the exterior wall to draw attention to it’s atmosphere from the street and documented the results
     
However, none of these spaces are, in the traditional sense of the word, public spaces; therefore whilst interesting trials, the ideas for the previously mentioned  sites are the most interesting.

Conclusion – The role of Art and Design in ‘moment’ experience– theory and method.

The human race it can be strongly argued is in constant pursuit of happiness; achievement, power, ownership are often considered routes to this state; due to the desire for happiness – theoretically, by concentrating on details, to thus bring about a momentary sense of childlike inquisition, joy in the imaginative qualities of a banal object or mundane; time can be slowed and space increased whilst evolution in the above described manner continues.

“Such are the realities of life and art: the city and it’s people are in flux, outcomes are unpredictable, control is provisional,, and competing interests reign. Art is meant to be part of this, but how?’
p12, defining the public context – ‘New land marks’ – Penny Balkin

“Reconciling multiple and diverse demands – social, environmental, economic and cultural – is the task for all of us in planning our place in this new millennium. We are challenged to plan and design for the simultaneous realities of places of the imagination and ‘real’ space. We have the opportunity to seek fulfillment, not through escalating consumption of resources, but through a dematerialized form of cultural expression: through shared experiences, rituals, stories, collective imaginings.’

“City Spaces, Art and Design’, ‘Proposed Tree’, p.64, Tamara Winikoff

There is no escaping that we do need mental escape mechanisms to appreciate the immediate; by escaping the immediate we can in fact heighten our awareness of it from a fresh viewpoint – therefore continuing to find stimuli and calm within the urban scape and creating a balance between conscious and sub-conscious thought, a balance of involvement and privacy; a balance between root and growth. Only by embracing our core, our root, and nurturing, feeding these needs can positive development be achieved; and evolution be embraced. Art and design have large parts to play in this process.

Is there a conclusion to such a subjective and ever-changing area? My opinion is that we need to work with the properties of light water and air, to create stop gaps within the daily routine to generate a sense of play and to push the mind to an altered state – to keep us tuned to the subconscious and to look with fresh eyes at the phenomenon of the world that we live in. 
The organic nature of the urban can be enhanced to slow our perception of the passing time and to enhance our sense of connection with the world and with each other therefore achieving greater freedom, harmony and positively in our responses and movements in everyday life.

“It is seldom acknowledged that the process by which cities regulate land and buildings is a reflection of un-examined assumptions, traditions and prejudices.
Environmental awareness, means among other things, examining these underlying factors to come to a new understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature.’

“Restoring the Waters’, p.88, Barbara Scheffer


“The earth itself is now seen as an infrastructure supporting our needs. Particular forms of infrastructure are pinched, kneaded and condensed from the earth to become facilities, both as launch platforms for our mobility and as psychological, existential footholds in the form of monuments that remind humanity of its roots. 
The applications of organic theories to the design of cities needs some kind of recognition of the historic ‘dead wood’, which, after all, also exists in the natural world (from which organic theory derives) as launch platforms for new life.’

“Transportable Environments’, 
“Stable, strategic’ p. 5-6, Gary Brown

2004 ​essay draft

Below is a long post from first blog / website I ever had. 
The site was lost in 2008, the main content is from 2006, before artist's tended to have blogs with their projects, and before social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)


​ 
Main Page
 Photos
 colour work
 Sue Roche photographs
 After event
 10 days after event
 final location: sheep
 Quarry week 3
 sarah lowry photographs
 simon and emmas photos
 Emma Brown Photography
 Press2
 workshops
 Exhibitions
 Jess Black photos
 gallery:space show and event, pics by Dot Simmons
 gallery:space, Finsbury Park, London, pics from Lee's phone
 Gallery:Space photographer's pics
Month Archive
February 2007
October 2006
September 2006
July 2006
June 2006
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Recent Comments
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Re: Re: Final week
Re: Final week
Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
Main Page
 
Ownership and Copyright
by leesimmons on Mon 18 Sep 2006 02:40 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Ownership of land, work, ideas is addressed throughout this project due to the blurred lines over who owns what, did what, thinks and has thought contributed to that thought... I don't think any one person can lay claim to the work or the site of the work, though where artists have made contibutions in terms of writing or photography the ownership of those individual pieces that contribute to the whole remain with the artists, to be utilised by myself as the 'coordinator'? and commissioner of some of the works.


Each and every creative collaboration works differently and is down to the people involved it seems, and the formal Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 is helpful to reference at points and has been in contributions to this work.


If it arises that the work is being used outside of agreements made between the contributors we generally would work with DACS to make sure that the artists creative and moral rights are protected as well as the legacy of the project, so watch yourselves if Emma's sheep photos appear on Christmas cards in Lewisham High Street: we'll 'av ya.
 
Links and Thanks
by leesimmons on Mon 18 Sep 2006 04:25 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
www.altspace.info

www.artscouncil.org.uk
www.artsdebate.co.uk
www.axisweb.org/artist/leesimmons

www.camel.org.uk

www.galleryspace.org.uk

www.emmabrownphotography.co.uk

www.english-nature.org.uk

www.kbiderman.com

www.lockwoodartists.org.uk
www.molevalley.gov.uk
www.publicartonline.org.uk
 
www.surreycountyarts.org.uk

www.surreyhills.org

www.surreywildlifetrust.co.uk

Thanks to the generous funders: Arts Council England South East and Surrey County Arts, all those who provided in kind support and advice particularly The Surrey Fire and Rescue Search and Rescue Team, The Red Lion Pub, The Anonymous Farmer, AONB, English Heritage and English Nature, Master Furze, Peter Ockenden, Tamir Addadi, and Sue Roche. Thanks to the team who made the remaining work / documentation: Kevin Bidderman, Emma Brown and Ola Stahl. Thanks to all the others who came down and who got involved, whom know who they are.




Contact: [email protected]
 
Sunday, February 4
  Use of remaining paint
by leesimmons on Sun 04 Feb 2007 12:16 PM PST
The use for the remaining paint was left open to suggestions. A number of artists and involved parties discussed the body of work, and gradually ideas and opinions were choreographed back to the urban origin of the idea. I think the team whom actualised this have added a very relevant and interesting dimension to the project that I am interested to include in the overall display of the work.


See 'Jess Black Photos' for documentation of the temporary urban interchange.
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Tuesday, October 17
  Quarry Exhibition
by leesimmons on Tue 17 Oct 2006 12:41 PM PDT
Quarry Project exhibition, of Oxted Quarry Project and Q:2

Lockwood Day Centre with Lockwood Artists Group (see www.lockwoodartists.org.uk):  03/06/06 - 21/06/06

Betchworth Quarry office with Q:2 event: 23/06/06 - 01/08/06

Dorking library, Dorking, Surrey: 19/09/06 - 14/10/06

South Hill Park, Berkshire (as part of 'Unravel') including 12 coloured lambs grazing on the Art Centre grounds: 21/10/06

AO3 Guildford Council Offices: 17/11/06 - 01/12/06

gallery:space Mckenzie Pavillion, Finsbury Park, London, June 29 6-9pm opening party, then open to 8th July 2007 Tuesday - Sunday. Project presentation (inc. paint bombing the park) on 29th See www.galleryspace.org.uk for more info.
Leave Comment  |  Permanent Link


Main Page
 
Workshops
by leesimmons on Fri 06 Oct 2006 07:03 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Workshops have run throughout the Quarry Project and Q:2 in South East England that draw from the projects as well as feed back into them.




Workshops in Finsbury Park, 29th June 2007 painting event, 5th July 2007 meet the artist(s).




Workshop with KIDS through IOTA, Lee Simmons and Emily Tull, May / June 2006:


Red paint and yellow paint were applied to opposite ends of one section of canvas.
Blue paint and yellow paint were applied to opposite ends of one section of canvas.
One section of canvas was left blank and possitioned between these 2 sections.


As the colourers moved across the canvas they left traces of colour, meaning that areas without a designated colour, took on the traces, that mixed and blended to make new colours.


The result was a fairly messy but also balanced remnant of the moment of combustion when the group started spreading paint very quickly... the 3 sections displayed gradients of red to yellow, blue to yellow, purples, oranges, greens and browns.


Quarry workshop with (Un)Limited through Lockwood, Lee Simmons and Mary Branson June, July 2005


Colours were spread using waterpistols, brushes (painting, flicking, drizzling paint) onto large wall mounted sheets and papers.


The group also made outfits and considered themselves as part of the wall mounted pieces.


Quarry workshop with (Un)Limited through Lockwood, Lee Simmons and Jo Cowdery, August 2005


(Un)Limited hand made felt quarries that they then dripped colour onto, replicating the largescale colour work at Oxted Quarry but on a small scale. They also taught Lee felt making skills.


Q:2 Workshops with (Un)Limited through Lockwood Artists Group, Lee Simmons May, June, July 2006


Throughout an exhibition in the studio space Lee and some available members of (Un)Limited discussed Quarry project and the development of Quarry 2, the group liked the photographs from Oxted Quarry, and thought the whole quarry should be coloured. Black was a suggested colour. Though Fuchia pink was used for the associations with this colour and the aesthetic it would create in the landscape, as well as colour balance as with Goethes theories of colour: which has influenced some of these workshops (Rudolf Steiner was a student of Goethes).


The group visited the Q:2 project, photographing each other, the coloured sheep and the Quarry exhibition. They also applied pink powder paint to a 5x5m section of chalk.
It is this kind of experience: going out of ones usual environment and existance for a given time period that can make this kind of work valuable to varied groups. The benefit of new experience, thinking outside of oneself, and making a tangible memory.
 
September 2006


Workshops have been designed for schools and offered to primary and secondary schools in and around Mole Valley. These workshops would be colour and drawing based in primary schools, and discussion and drawing based in secondary schools.
The focus is possible future cities and sustainable environments through imaginative urban design.
 
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Quarry Exhibition
by leesimmons on Tue 17 Oct 2006 12:41 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Quarry Project exhibition, of Oxted Quarry Project and Q:2

Lockwood Day Centre with Lockwood Artists Group (see www.lockwoodartists.org.uk):  03/06/06 - 21/06/06

Betchworth Quarry office with Q:2 event: 23/06/06 - 01/08/06

Dorking library, Dorking, Surrey: 19/09/06 - 14/10/06

South Hill Park, Berkshire (as part of 'Unravel') including 12 coloured lambs grazing on the Art Centre grounds: 21/10/06

AO3 Guildford Council Offices: 17/11/06 - 01/12/06

gallery:space Mckenzie Pavillion, Finsbury Park, London, June 29 6-9pm opening party, then open to 8th July 2007 Tuesday - Sunday. Project presentation (inc. paint bombing the park) on 29th See www.galleryspace.org.uk for more info.
 
Main Page
 
Final week
by leesimmons on Thu 13 Jul 2006 05:30 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
The sheep are now grazing in this seasons pastel pinks, blues and mints adjacent to the A25 Reigate>< Dorking. They can be seen from the bridge (pictured under week 3 / final location) unless sheltering under a tree or by the river when they are harder to spot.


Pink on the cliff is still visible but only just due to the mix of blazing bleaching sunshine and washes of rainfall (unless anonymous has given it a helping hand with soap and water...).


DVD's are available to individuals and libraries: there are a complimentary 50 for distribution after which they cost £3.00 each: let me know if you want one.


The book will be complete by September 7th 2006. The books can be available for loan.


Some discussion of Q:2 took place at an alt space event (see www.ccred.org for more info. on alt. space), I presented Q:2 in the context of works prior to and linked to this piece in an informal / open environment in Bethnal Green, London.


Quarry (art and environment) workshops are available for schools: contact [email protected] for more info.


The exhibition is available to tour to local schools, council offices, fire station, and exhibition spaces from October 30th 2006: sheep photographs have been touring exhibitions in the local area courtesy of Sue Roche.


The work will be exhibited in Dorking library from 19 September 2006 to 3rd October 2006


The work will be displayed in a group event at South Hill Park Art Centre, Berkshire, 21st Ocotober, 2006, the exhibition will include about 12 coloured sheep.








Attachments:
FINAL_COPY.pdf  (911KB)
 
COMMENTS
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Re: Final week
by Anonymous on Thu 20 Jul 2006 02:51 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Hi Lee


Much of the emphasis still seems to be based purely on the aesthetic qualities of the work. Obviously this is an important element, but as ‘phase one’ is drawing to a close, I wanted to summarise some of the broader issues, which have been raised during discussion of the work.
These comments are paraphrased and by no means direct quotes, but I feel they should be included in the documenting process:


‘This project has evoked strong emotions from both local residents and visitors alike. Having been praised, and condemned in equal measure, it seems disappointing that the discussion has failed to embrace the larger issues which seem to be present in the work.’


‘If we can cut through the semantics and pretentious art waffle I think there is something of real substance here. We need to take advantage of this potential forum.’


‘It may be that this is all just frivolous nonsense, but if people are asking questions then it may do some good.’


‘Though beautiful, the quarry is itself an industrial scar on the landscape.’


‘Visitors to the site were standing on thousands of tonnes of landfill waste, not a pristine natural habitat.’


‘This year an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of waste will be disposed of in Surrey alone.
The landfill at Betchworth is now safely out of sight, hidden beneath a thin layer of top-soil. Less noticeable is the toxic run off from the site that is currently polluting local ground water reserves, or the ozone destroying methane gas being vented into the atmosphere.
Long after the pink quarry face has faded, the many issues it raises will still be with us.’


‘Chalk Down-land is an artificially created landscape. Resulting from deliberate deforestation, and the continuous grazing of sheep over many generations.
Due to a global marketplace much of our food is no longer produced locally. It is becoming financially uneconomic to farm our specialised local landscape.
‘Quarry 2’ reminds us sheep are not there for aesthetic reasons. Sprinkled on the landscape like cake decorations. They are both a commodity, and intrinsic to maintaining the existing environment.’


‘Had the quarry been changed to pink over a period of months, or years, would there have been the same reaction?
Had the pink quarry been a natural feature or created by our distant forefathers would we be campaigning to preserve it?’


‘It’s an interesting paradox that we will passionately fight to preserve an existing disused quarry face, yet would condemn the creation of a new one.’
‘Many of our local roads and houses were constructed from the quarries products, and now our waste has filled the void that was left.’


‘This is the most gentle of wakeup calls. Regardless of any creative merit, we must acknowledge this artist for highlighting serious anomalies in our perceptions of the environment.
Our lifestyles have become unsustainable, and we all need to accept the consequences of our actions. We shouldn’t look to artists for answers, but we can trust them to remind us what we already know.’




xxxx
Reply
Re: Re: Final week
by leesimmons on Thu 20 Jul 2006 05:31 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear xxxx (!)
Thanks, I will defo. include this in the documentation.
I think that the work has largely moved away from reactionary letters and articles leaving those interested in the work and this field of art, design and regeneration commenting on and following it, as well as discovering it. There is plenty of time for the reactions to this work to evolve, the quarry site isn't going anywhere and neither are Surrey or London (for a bit anyway).
I expect that the exhibition which is currently being developed will continue to spark discussion and contact, as will the Green Places Journal and other varied points of communication.
If you have any contact details of the people who have commented to you please keep them for future invites as it would be great if they come to the show.
Thanks so much for all this,
Lee
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Whose idea was this?
by leesimmons on Sun 02 Jul 2006 05:25 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
The methodology in developing this work embraced and utilised conceptual and practical contributions from many parties.
Below is an outline of how the work came about and whose ideas it incorporates. Where the involved party might like to remain anonymous there will be stars. I'm writing it (lee) but often use third person to aid clarity in communicating the process. All people involved in this work have been made welcome to continue their involvement and it has remained open for new participants.


Reversed chronology:


Mail by *** prompting this entry as in whose idea it was.


Next:
Emma Brown photographs and Sue Roche photographs developed for exhibition
Kevin Bidderman make / edit video including his own video work and contributed footage from other parties.
Lee Simmons make book of process including photographs, text and a DVD from other involved parties.
Ola Stahl write a piece in his own style in relation to the project.
Evaluation of the work, to include a review of the project by an independent party.
Touring show of the project facilitated by Tony Gorham at Lockwood Day Centre and Mole Valley Leisure (helping locate spaces: schools, libraries).
Exhibition in a gallery of the entire project including presentations and discussions about the project and related subjects. Venue to be confirmed.


Photographs arrive that were taken by Sue Roche voluntarily and in her own style, Lee Simmons uploads them to web log.


Phone call from *** and *** discuss the responses to Q:2 event and how to facilitate a worthwhile debate whilst dealing with some very confrontational emails about the subjects and issues that this work addresses and indeed raises… the place of public art and the nature of artwork in the public sphere as well as discourse about land use particularly quarrying, with this area as a starting point for potentially expansive discussion.


A series of emails between *** from *** and myself discussing the work and how and why it came about. Hopefully they will contribute information about the site to the touring show though this is currently looking unlikely.


Member of cave rescue team joins myself and (un)Limited at the site and confirms practical in kind support for continuing the colouring work. She has heard much positive feedback bout the project.


A workshop with (un)Limited at the site, the group of disabled artists added some pink to the corner of the quarry and decided that the whole cliff should be pink. They photographed the sheep and related with joy to their work on show in the information room.
A visit to the Red Lion confirms that the majority of responses in the village are positive and many people would like the work to be continued.


It becomes apparent that some members of the local community didn't hear about the event before it happened and are unhappy that it went ahead without their involvement / permission therefore it is unlikely that the work will be continued.


The event: the colouring event utilised ideas and contributions from a wide range of people: the Red Lion Pub suggested and facilitated refreshments at the site and provided in kind support of accommodation in Betchworth from Thursday to Sunday making it a full durational experience and providing a place for people to meet and talk after the event, which worked out well.


Setting up the event, Master Furze and Peter Ockenden suggested tyres for sitting on, a Gazebo and pink signage, which they both arranged.


The mechanics based at the foot of the quarry provided a space for people to relax in the shade, use the bathroom and for information about the project to be displayed.


A blog site was activated with Kevin Biderman, to archive the project and create a space for people to comment: partly inspired by the way that the walk talk eat walk talk some more project by C.cred (artists collective) and the investigation into post autonomous practice have been communicated and developed.


Painting the quarry involved myself directing the firemen with a walkie talkie: which they suggested was necessary as it would be difficult for them to see what they were doing being so close to the work. The elements of wind and hot air meant that the work was not carried out to the extent we had anticipated. Firemen photographed the process of making the work with disposable cameras.


The fire brigade arranged their own risk assessment, and methodology alongside myself and with information from English Nature and English Wildlife.
The paint was applied with a sieving device: an idea initially from Tom Richards (artist) and supported by English Nature. The paint was pink and only pink an idea from Tom Richards and Lee Simmons (artists), supported by Julia Dudkiewickz (curator) and in response to the Oxted Quarry Project which was developed by Lee Simmons, Mary Branson, (un) Limited, Joanna Cowdery (Un)Limited group leader, Roy Sharrad (quarry manager), Andy Malins (quarry worker and artist) who also suggested that the Q:2 project utilise powder paint for the impermanent and non toxic qualities, whereas the organic pigments I was researching at the time would stain.


Workshops in Kent with KIDS group explores painting materials and methods of applying paint at the request of KIDS management. Emily Tull and Lee Simmons develop the idea. Powder paint is spread onto large scale floor based canvases using hands, feet, faces and wheel chairs. This is carried out under the banner of Artmonkeys (community art projects).


The firemen were worked with, which was an idea initially from Rob Fairbanks at AONB when discussing with Keith Willis from SCA and with Lee, how to make a temporal landmark by colouring a chalk face to comment upon the manicured Surrey landscape. We initially titled this project "Make up for the Hills".


Lee Simmons contacted local fire stations resulting in a collaboration with The Surrey Fire and Rescue Search and Rescue Team who were keen to utilise the opportunity of a training exercise that would also benefit a community public art project. This was also fuelled by an interest to work visibly on varied projects at the heart of the community in comparison to the valuable invisible work they carry out in seemingly a peripheral manner.
The fire team also provided background information about the site and the history of the site as well as the surrounding area.


Discussions with Rob Fairbanks from AONB took place throughout the development of the work Lee Simmons made regular voluntary trips to the Surrey Hills office to keep up to date on how this work would be carried out and AONB supported the communication of this work. SCA were also helping to communicate the project. It is unclear where the idea of dying sheep came from, though there are links to hand made felt quarries: made from wool and soap and dyed with colours used in the Oxted quarry performance by (un)Limited who also taught Lee felt making skills.
The colouring of sheep fits well with the concept of the Quarry Project and is taken up by AONB, SCA and Lee Simmons.
Lee Simmons personnal email address was made accessible on the AONB website as well as in promotional material inviting response to the project plans from anyone who miught be interested or might like to have their say.
The marketing body at AONB explained that a surprise event could likely attract national coverage in terms of PR, however it was decided to send press releases prior to the event to further facilitate the involvement of the local community, which was carried out successfully with front page coverage in the local papers in advance of the project. A space at Surrey County Show to communicate the work was the idea of AONB and was embraced by Lee, it was intended that she would be preent and talking with people at the stand about the work, this fell through due to the large scale of the show and process of arranging the spaces. An interview prior to the event was also set up with Eagle Radio, which fell through as the person at the radio station who planned this was no longer in the establishment when the interview was due to take place.


An exhibition at Lockwood see www.lockwoodartists.org.uk displayed the work and invited consultation. Invitations and information about this was widely distributed across the county as well as separate information about Q:2 distributed by AONB, Lee Simmons, SCA and it was requested that English Nature distribute this information. Lee Simmons also distributed flyers on foot around the village of Betchworth talking to people as she gave out 200 information sheets and left copies with local businesses and publicans whom also agreed to distribute the information.


Regular trips to the farm were made where ideas were developed alongside the farmer about how to colour the sheep: with his input dipping turned to spraying (which is a more suitable method for this work) and 9 sheep became 42 sheep. It also became possible to graze them in front of the chalk face and to open up the site for that weekend.


English Nature confirmed permission to the land owner that his chalk could be coloured pink outlining methodology of applying paint and access that would not cause harm to species at the site.


English Nature and AONB voice concern over bird nesting season. Lee meets *** and commissions an ornithological survey, there were no birds spotted nesting on this cliff and an additional survey of the surrounding area took place alongside discussions about possible future collaborations between this expert on wildlife in Surrey and Lee Simmons. The potential for expanding the project to include nature trails and information booklets was discussed but time and finance constraints limited this to a future project. There will be a presentation on the Betchworth quarry wildlife at the exhibition as a result of these exchanges. The surveyer brought his expertise to the event alongside others who could bring varied knowledge to the conversations taking place.


A successful application for funding of Q:2 to Arts Council England South East is written by Lee Simmons and sent to AONB, SCA, and all involved parties prior to sending to the Arts Council.
Lee Simmons approached the farmer of the land and gained permission for his sheep to be coloured red, yellow and blue.
Lee Simmons gained permission from the land owner for a group to colour the chalk face, that he legally owns, pink.
A solo exhibition of Oxted Quarry Project was developed at Lockwood with the service users and their group leader, the style of this show and work made was kept and shown again with additional documentation and information about the Quarry Project a year later with LAG.


Lee Simmons makes a funding application to Awards for All in collaboration with Lockwood Day Centre to develop and exhibit photographs of the project with (un)Limited.


Oxted Quarry Project: June 2005. Presentations were made by Lee Simmons of this project at varied art and public art meetings. It was also presented by SCA and was publicised in the local papers, SCA newsletters and Nalgao magazine with contact details and the information that this project was being developed into a public landmark piece.


The work was documented by Kevin Biderman and Emma Brown, in their own creative style, and informed by Lee that the tour of the site would document historic artefacts that might soon be lost, so this was important to preserve the natural and mechanical history of the site.


Oxted Quarry project was carried out with (un)Limited, Jo Cowdery and Mary Branson. The resulting marks were documented by Lee Simmons as they faded away, at the point that they had disappeared 2 months after the project it became impossible to work at the quarry as it had been sold and become active again.
The work would have been visible, but due to the imminent sale of the site (the management didn’t want to draw that much attention to the site) and problems with access it was made out of view and utilised as a pilot project for a more public piece.


At Oxted Quarry a beautiful site is discovered with artefacts from when prisoners of war used to live and work at the site, fossils are uncovered and it becomes apparent that Robert Smithson (artist) used this quarry in his past work. It is also discovered that this site is up for sale and will likely be used for landfill therefore these artefacts will likely be destroyed.


Lee Simmons creates trial pieces in quarries across the county. She meets Keith Willis, Rob Fairbanks, xxx and Sarah Sampson to discuss how to develop the quarry project. In a random meeting (through paid work)  Mary Branson and lee meet, they discover some shared interests and decide to work together on this pilot project, Mary Branson introduces (un)Limited to the project and contributes to the development of the project.
(un)Limited are a diverse art group who have created high quality artwork over the last two years under their group leader Jo Cowdery. Jo is due to leave Lockwood shortly therefore (un)Limited take the opportunity to work on large scale pieces with Jo and to work in new spaces to demonstarte their abilities as an independent art group.
Jo is also keen that (un)Limited continue to work as a team and do not disband after her departure from the centre.


Lee undertakes work in Surrey and moves to the county where she receives a small commission by SCA to make a piece of community art, previous work is discussed and the idea to colour a quarry is agreed upon. (December 2004) She is introduced to AONB in Spring 2005 and embarks upon The Quarry Project.


Lee studies Design for Environment Ma at Chelsea where she works alongside landscape architects and public artists, she researched time and space, urban and rural and follows the journey of stone from rural spaces to city spaces. She also looks at the meaning of quarries and makes temporal pieces within the city highlighting the time scale of the site and links between sites before moving to Surrey and working with ‘natural’ sites.
This work is informed by people on the street, utilising their perceptions of spaces, as well as the varied tutors and peers on the course.


Writing Piece, a durational event whereby Lee spends 3 days and 2 nights in a space talking to people and incorporating their ideas into a piece of writing, Tokyo 2002, The work develops to take place in 3 cities over the course of 3 years. It finalises in London 2005. The piece has explored notions of space, place, time, the relativity of perception and communication. It has also prompted a move away from Fine Art within Lee’s work to collaborative regeneration based projects. Ma Fine Art Falmouth was planned and is Replaced by Design For Environment, Chelsea.


I can’t remember whose idea it was to go into the room though Michelle Coverly introduced me to the space and the gallery supported the work where the writing piece (initially to develop thoughts through writing and discourse) began.


The issues of owning work are relevant to all forms of artwork, particularly collaborations and public work. The Quarry Project has also raised issues about who owns the land and what right we have to mark make on the land, on the controls in place to monitor how this land is used and also how livestock are managed and utilised in Surrey, but also throughout the UK and beyond.






 
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Concerned parties please read
by leesimmons on Thu 29 Jun 2006 03:35 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link


Issued by the Countryside Agency's Landscape, Access and Recreation division


Surrey Lambs and Quarry in the Pink


The Countryside Agency and English Nature are aware of the plans by artist Lee Simmons to colour a flock of sheep at Betchworth Quarry near Dorking in Surrey in bright red, blue and yellow powder paints and to colour the quarry's chalk cliff pink.


The agencies are conscious that the artistic event, funded by the Arts Council England South East, Surrey County Arts and Awards for All, will draw attention to landscape issues and create a wider awareness of rural aspects in the area. They hope to see positive public responses to the artistic works and to the ideas behind the project.


The agencies note that Betchworth Quarry is within the Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation. Part of the North Downs, this area is special because of the flower rich chalk grassland, which runs along the top of the quarry. It is home to wild flowers such as horseshoe vetch (a plant needed for the chalkhill blue butterfly) and several types of orchids.


English Nature confirms that they were consulted over the project and that, after surveys were carried out, changes were made to the proposals to ensure that no damage or disturbance would be inflicted on the local wildlife. English Nature believes that no significant damage will be caused by the exercise.


The artist has agreed with English Nature that the SSSI/SAC grassland above the cliff face will not be trampled, and that the dusting process will be minimised around plants growing on the cliff face.


The Natural England partners point out that the project should draw the attention of local people to the natural environment around them and to local landscape issues. They note that natural environments encourage people to exercise and simply being in natural surroundings can improve general wellbeing.


Alan Law/Duncan Mackay says: "Two of the objectives for Natural England will be to increase the opportunities for a greater number and diversity of people to experience and enjoy nature as part of their daily lives and to improve places for people to enjoy the natural environment.


We want to ensure that people of all ages and from all walks of life take every opportunity to enjoy and benefit from outdoor activities. We want to ensure everyone is aware of what the outdoors can offer them and give people every opportunity to enjoy it," he says.


Following Royal Assent for the Natural England and Rural Communities Act this spring, from the beginning of October a new organisation, Natural England, will have the responsibility for conserving, enhancing and managing the natural environment, contributing to sustainable development. Natural England will bring together and build on the strengths of the Rural Development Service, English Nature and the Landscape, Access and Recreation Division of the Countryside Agency. Natural England will engage, listen and encourage people across all areas, helping them enjoy the natural environment. Creating Natural England will mean that landscape and nature conservation and enhancement, access and public enjoyment of the natural environment will be considered together.


 
Main Page
 
Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Tue 27 Jun 2006 06:57 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
There have been responses by phone and email, mainly positive. Some emails to me are below. Complaints have been made to Surrey County Arts, English Nature and local press so there will be more information through the press in response to these comments to further explain the project. Southern Counties will be interviewing an annoyed resident and myself between 5 and 6 today and there is an article in Surrey advertiser (Dorking) newspaper next week answering questions about the work. It is possible to comment on the blog as an anonymous user without filling in a form, just press reply, type in the numbers you see and comment in the box at the bottom of the page, then press publish. This might be more effective than contacting people with the same questions, at their work place, and can facilitate a direct response to these questions.


Messages in response to Q:2


Hi Lee


Much of the emphasis still seems to be based purely on the aesthetic qualities of the work. Obviously this is an important element, but as ‘phase one’ is drawing to a close, I wanted to summarise some of the broader issues, which have been raised during discussion of the work.
These comments are paraphrased and by no means direct quotes, but I feel they should be included in the documenting process:


‘This project has evoked strong emotions from both local residents and visitors alike. Having been praised, and condemned in equal measure, it seems disappointing that the discussion has failed to embrace the larger issues which seem to be present in the work.’


‘If we can cut through the semantics and pretentious art waffle I think there is something of real substance here. We need to take advantage of this potential forum.’


‘It may be that this is all just frivolous nonsense, but if people are asking questions then it may do some good.’


‘Though beautiful, the quarry is itself an industrial scar on the landscape.’


‘Visitors to the site were standing on thousands of tonnes of landfill waste, not a pristine natural habitat.’


‘This year an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of waste will be disposed of in Surrey alone.
The landfill at Betchworth is now safely out of sight, hidden beneath a thin layer of top-soil. Less noticeable is the toxic run off from the site that is currently polluting local ground water reserves, or the ozone destroying methane gas being vented into the atmosphere.
Long after the pink quarry face has faded, the many issues it raises will still be with us.’


‘Chalk Down-land is an artificially created landscape. Resulting from deliberate deforestation, and the continuous grazing of sheep over many generations.
Due to a global marketplace much of our food is no longer produced locally. It is becoming financially uneconomic to farm our specialised local landscape.
‘Quarry 2’ reminds us sheep are not there for aesthetic reasons. Sprinkled on the landscape like cake decorations. They are both a commodity, and intrinsic to maintaining the existing environment.’


‘Had the quarry been changed to pink over a period of months, or years, would there have been the same reaction?
Had the pink quarry been a natural feature or created by our distant forefathers would we be campaigning to preserve it?’


‘It’s an interesting paradox that we will passionately fight to preserve an existing disused quarry face, yet would condemn the creation of a new one.’
‘Many of our local roads and houses were constructed from the quarries products, and now our waste has filled the void that was left.’


‘This is the most gentle of wakeup calls. Regardless of any creative merit, we must acknowledge this artist for highlighting serious anomalies in our perceptions of the environment.
Our lifestyles have become unsustainable, and we all need to accept the consequences of our actions. We shouldn’t look to artists for answers, but we can trust them to remind us what we already know.’




xxxx








Dear xxxxx,
Below are answers to your questions, I hope this is what you need: feel
free to pick out the bits that are appropriate and rearrange as you see
fit.
Also, feel free to contact me for ny further info. / details.
Thanks and best wishes,
Lee


What motivated this project? Beyond an interest in time and space, in the
interaction between the social and the natural - why this quarry?


This quarry was recently land filled and is pretty controversial as well as
highly visible (Gatwick airport, train, road: it was to be temporal landmark
so this visibility and accessibility is important).
I have designed interchanges for several quarries around the County Surrey
and this is the second that has been brought to fruition. Each artwork responds
to the site itself. Previously at Oxted Quarry we documented artefacts and
history at the site that would soon be destroyed and / or buried, at this
one we highlighted the pollution to waters passing below and created publicity
for Oxted Quarry.


People came to the event and picnicked in a beautiful landscape, with the
colouring event unfolding in front of them, only reminded it was land-filled
by the smell of methane gas in the air and the discussion taking place.


What issue are you trying to highlight?


To create discussion about the use of land in Britain particularly. To bring
together varied individuals (environmental and arts officers, farmers, environmentalists,
artists, architects) and see what information and opinions they bring to
the event, what can the combination of this knowledge and experience spark?
As well as this the work forms a metaphor and question about the way we
exist, it’s a kind of exploration of what people can do if they work together,
question themselves, and to create a look twice effect at the land use in
terms of waste, how we regulate this waste, consumption: bringing the hidden
to the surface in terms of the physical land and our residence on this land.


These subjects were highlighted, as was (additionally) the human nature with
regard to mark making and ownership, local people felt they own this land
that is private property of Allan Weller and were furious that their permission
was not necessary for the work to happen. It was also interesting how strong
reactions were to something harmless, yet visible, and how keen people are
to gloss over things that perhaps do need to be addressed. (Such as how
to regulate the amount of waste produced with the amount of space we have
left, and the fact that water used in the drinking supply is becoming contaminated
due to this land-fill, but apparently it should be grassed over and considered
an area of outstanding natural beauty…)


Who do the sheep belong to?


The farmer wishes to remain anonymous but lives and works between Reigate and
Dorking: the local area.


Do they normally graze there?


The sheep graze there as do cows (in rotation), following the Q:2 event, sheep
toured to other sites: a famous and much visited National Trust look out
point at Box Hill and adjacent to the A25 road where they were less of a
painted picture and looked quite funny. This is also land that the sheep
graze regularly.




Who does the quarry belong to now that it has been land-filled?


Allan Weller, a farmer whom has owned the land during the quarrying as well
as landfill process. He was going to give it to English Wildlife but decided
against it and gave them the top section only. It made him an unpopular
millionaire.
Apparently he is a conscientious farmer and employer, but the villagers
are against him as they were not given a choice about the quarrying that
took place. He loved the temporary pinkscape.


How high is the quarry face that you painted?


50-70 m high, 200 m deep into land fill waste. The ground is due to sink another
50 m as its still settling so in the future it will be at least 100m high..


What did you use to paint the cliff?


Childrens’ powder paints: this is water soluble and non toxic, as well as
temporal unlike organic pigments that will stain for longer. There are still
lots of pots left! I am currently thinking of a use for them…


> ----Original Message----
> From: xxxxxxxxx
> Date: Aug 8, 2006 7:02:10 PM
> To: "[email protected]"
> Subj: Re: More quarry information
>
> Hi Lee,
>
> I am in the process of writing up your story for a Recent Projects
> feature, and I have several questions for you so I can be sure to get
> the facts right.
>
> Please, if you have a moment, could you answer these brief questions?
>
> What motivated this project? Beyond an interest in time and space, in
> the interaction between the social and the natural - why this quarry?
> What issue are you trying to highlight?
> Who do the sheep belong to? Do they normally graze there?
> Who does the quarry belong to now that it has been land-filled?
> How high is the quarry face that you painted?
>
> Thanks for responding to these questions.
>
> Best regards,
> xxxxxxxx
> ------
> xxxxxxxx
> Project Assistant
> Public Art Review


Dear Lee


I e-mailed you two days after Quarry:2 finished saying how wonderful it was.


I am horrified to learn that you have received such vicious attacks from 'locals'. I became so upset for you that I telephoned the Dorking Advertiser to complain of the biased reporting this paper produced as copy on 29 June 2006. I was told to write a letter as I seemd to be the only one who enjoyed your work. I suppose people only write in to complain. I then got in touch with Kate Horden, the Betchworth councillor, quoted in the article, to let her know that not everyone was 'outraged of Betchworth'. Kate Horden informed me that you had to endure an extraordinary general meeting with Betchworth parishioners to explain the 'vandalism'. It really is going too far.


I went and found the sheep below Box Hill and then by Deepdene Bridge. They were quite happy in their primary colours.
Your work is fading now reflecting it's temporary nature. Why do people get so disturbed over a little transient colour?


Susan


Hi Lee
Its just a small but very vocal minority.
Being quite well known in the area, my name has
somehow been linked with your work. As a result I have
been getting a few aggressive phone calls at home.
Nothing threatening, but not exactly open to
discussion either. I imagine you must have been
dealing with much the same.
I think you are right when you say the initial shock
reaction has passed, but I am still aware many people
are failing to look beyond the issues I mentioned in
the attachment.
I appreciate you don't want to keep going over the
same ground, but I do think a clear statement of the
facts could be helpful, and would allow the discussion
to move on.
Remember most of the negative reactions are from
people who did not attend the event and know nothing
of its background. People are forming an opinion
based on letters to the local press.
I still very much believe in the projects value, and
hope it will continue to provide a forum for much
needed debate.
xxxxxxxxxxx


[email protected] wrote:


> Clearly I have missed something, thought it had
> all calmed down. You can barely see the pink now. Do
> you have any reference material / papers etc where
> you have seen the hatemail?
> Thanks for your help,
> Lee
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxxxxx
> To: [email protected]
> Sent: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 11:28 AM
> Subject: What's it like to be so hated?
>
> Hi Lee
> I still seem to be attracting a lot of hostility re.
> Quarry 2.
> I have been trying to encourage people to consider
> the
> bigger issues, and view the work in the context of
> the
> sites history.
> Many are still unaware that the pink quarry face is
> purely temporary.
> Most of the concerns regard practical and
> environmental issues, and, as I have been referring
> people to your web site it would be helpful if it
> could include a simple statement along the lines of
> the attached.
> I believe the facts to be correct, but please feel
> free to amend/ expand (or ignore) as you feel
> appropriate.


Quarry 2


The project was intended to raise awareness of environmental issues, and explore our relationship with the landscape in which we live.
It is regrettable that some have viewed ‘Quarry 2’ as an ‘act of vandalism’ or dismissed it as a publicity stunt. This was never the intention.
Amid such heated speculation I would like to clarify a few important points, and hopefully help allay some of the fears that may have been raised.


The event has been researched over two years, with input from environmental bodies plus numerous community groups and specialist individuals.
The venue was thoroughly surveyed by an independent expert to ensure any impact was kept to a minimum. Any changes made to the site are strictly temporary.


The colouring of the quarry face was achieved by dusting a non-toxic and water-soluble powder over the surface of the chalk. The resulting effect is temporary, and after extensive consultation is not known to have any detrimental effect on existing flora and fauna.


The use of sheep was extensively researched and approval was sought from the relevant animal welfare bodies.
They were coloured using a temporary, non-toxic product, developed and marketed for use on livestock. The whole process was carried out during the flocks routine health check, and under the strict supervision of an extremely knowledgeable and compassionate shepherd.
During their short stay at the quarry they always had access to shelter, fresh water and grazing. They were regularly monitored and at no time were they seen to suffer any undue stress as a result of the experience.


The Fire Service provided their expertise in the form of a training session. They were there to do a job of work, and not to “just having fun at the taxpayers expense”. Indeed many of the team donated their own time to the project.
Concerns regarding the unnecessary use of water are unfounded as the pink powder was applied dry.


The reference to a ‘Police Helicopter’ being used to record the event appears to have resulted from a ‘partial’ quote being taken out of context. Obviously no police resources were actually used.


Having already prompted some informed debate, I hope the discussion can now continue to expand, and place the event in its broader context.


> xxxxxxxxx
>
>
A phone conversation followed and seemed to turn things around to become a productive and mutually supportive conversation!


Hi xxx,
Thanks for your mail and for the time you have spent considering the process of this work.
I will hopefully be attending the Betchworth Parish Council meeting tonight at 8 pm and it would be great to speak with you in person: as we both acknowledge email correspondance can be problematic.
In terms of drawing a line in the sand, good idea in terms of the it's aggressive / it's not aggressive correspondance, but in terms of the project I feel that if we work together your continued involvement could be very valuable.
I am currently arranging a tour of documentation and information of this project to schools, libraries and council offices and though a bit late in the day, would value your input to this leg of the work.
It could be a fantastic opportunity to communicate the extensive research and information on land use that you are involved with and have access to, to a wide audience and future generations.
My number is xxx.
If you have time to speak about this subject that would be much appreciated.
Best regards,
Lee


Email unpublished at the authors request


Dear xxxx,
I have honoured your wish that your mails not be published even anonymously.
With regard to my own writing, I also honour the right to publish my own words.
Nowhere in relation to our correspondance have I mentioned your name or the organisations that you represent.
With regard to the public consulation, perhaps there are lessons to be learnt in how to better achieve local consultation in the future, though I hope you are taking on board that there actually was a consultation process, an environmental impact assessment, an animal health assessment and careful planning of a project not just invisioned by me but by a diverse group of people.
With regard to publicity seeking... by setting up a modest blog site to communicate this project and provide a space for people to comment... by including unedited negative comments as well as possitive ones and by communicating the work to local press prior to the event which further helped engage the community and facilitate vibrant debate there is little validation for the degradation of a long term project with integrity in purpose and process, to basic publicity seeking.
If I have described your mails as abusive unfairly I apologise for that, it is often difficult to interpret the tone of an email, though with assertations that my actions have been and continue to be manipulative, insensitive, thoughtless, uninformed, negligant and naive... alongside the employment of capital letters it is not unreasonable that they might be interpreted as agressive.
With regard to not answering your questions fully, you have asked alot of questions and I have replied promptly to almost all of your emails, and have added information to the blog so that yourself and others with similar concerns can find the answers to these questions in their own time.


I hope that we can move past these misunderstandings and achieve more productive communication.


This mail will go on the blog as I am committed to communicate the work inside and out and feel confident in my right to publish my own writing, though nowhere will I mention your name or include your writing.
Best wishes,
Lee


(Points have been raised about how better consultation could be achieved in the future and the establishments that can help build communication with local residents and this is something that is acknowledged and will be taken on board when implementing future projects)


email unpublished at the authors request


Dear xxxxx,


Can you please try to moderate your tone, the aggressiveness of your emails is uncalled for and your attacks are not just on me (which I wouldn't mind) but on disadvantaged and disabled artists as well as well meaning, conscientious involved parties who are increasingly feeling upset by the tone you are adopting. While I completely understand and am happy to discuss the strength of your feeling your tone is passing beyond that which I think you want to adopt.


I am reluctant to pass names of particular groups involved as regret that they might begin to receive this abuse also. By local I meant Surrey based where I lived and worked when focusing on this project. I also work across Kent, London, Oxford and Berkshire, so am now more South East. I am afraid that whether or not I attend your church is not helpful to the debate that this work intends to address.


By grass roots level I mean that the work was developed by people who work at the heart of the community as well as those who monitor the use of the land both in and around Betchworth. The work was supported by people right at the infrastructure of the community and in terms of consultation, consultation was at the heart of this work: it is made up of between 10 and 20 peoples ideas across many areas including the Surrey Hills and Betchworth village. If you look at the blog www.leesimmons.org you can find out more about this.


When communicating the work leaflets and emails were sent to my entire mailing list as well as at least four other individuals working in art and environment establishments, posters and leaflets were left at sites in Betchworth and distributed around the village by myself and I left them with local people to continue to distribute: all of this material included my own personal email address inviting comment which is an unusually high level of consultation offered for an art project. As well as this the work and my email address was on the AONB website prior to the event, it took front page of the guide in your two local papers prior to the event again including my contact details. The lead up work and plans for this project were exhibited in Guildford for 3 weeks prior to the event and I attended the well publicised show at points throughout the duration of this time period inviting consultation on the project plans before moving the display to Betchworth Quarry where the next stage of the project took place.
We did push for a display at Surrey County Show where further consultation would have been undertaken but unfortunately the space fell through at the last moment and an interview with Eagle radio was scheduled in prior to the event which again fell through. There was little that could be done from the creative side on both of these counts.


I very much hope that we can turn this disagreement around to become a useful and productive debate.


Kind regards,
Lee




email unpublished at the authors request


Dear xxxx,
I am aware of xxxxx. This forum would allow people to discuss the issues across disciplines, art environment and at grass roots level which is rare.
Nowhere have I said the work will last 2 weeks, what I have said is that the work is temporary, does not harm the environment and that it will erode according to the elements. It is anticipated that it will last for 2 months and this is dependent on the elements.
As for is this art? This artwork is the work of many people across art and environment bodies from grass roots community groups, to disabled groups of artists, artists established in their own right, civil servants and a cross section of government employees from art and environment backgrounds.


By insulting this work you not only are insulting myself, but also minority groups who have worked hard to make something beautiful, artists and community members with integrity and purpose in their lives and work as well as members of leading establishments in environmental protection.
Yours,
Lee


email unpublished at the authors request


Dear sir,


I think that the opportunity this project has provided for you to air your and the local community's concerns about the quarry site (which is something I actually had researched with many other informed parties) as well as a forum for those like yourself who feel they and only they can say what is valuable public art is a wonderful opportunity. Even though you clearly do not respect the effort myself and others have put in, I respect your right to judge and indeed comment on the art and will publish your email quite contendedly. You do not have to like or respect what we have done, but you should look more closely at the research and consultation which took place prior to this project. I would just ask could you visit the site up close one more time and the information room (if you have already) and stop and think whether you really are convinced it contains no beauty.
Respectfully Yours,
Lee






>----Original Message----
>
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
Date: Jun 30, 2006 9:42:47 PM
>
To: [email protected], xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


>
Subj: RE: Mindless Vandalism of Mole Valley


unpublished email at the authors request


Hi Lee
Just read your blog....
Quarry 2 was a powerful and sincere piece of work.
I'm sorry you are having to deal with such
nonconstructive and personal hate mail, but it was
perhaps inevitable.
Most of the negative responses seem to have stemmed
from a breakdown in communication. It would seem you
actually have similar views to many of the protesters,
but are just speaking a different language.
Don't get defensive. Don't be tempted to distance
yourself from the work, and don't doubt yourself.
Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxxxxxx
Sent: 28 June 2006 16:29
To: xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Art in the Landscape




Dear xxxxxxxxxxxx,


Surrey County Arts are very concerned at the upset the Quarry project has
caused to yourself and the other residents.


This project was jointly funded by Arts Council South East in the main,
Awards for All and Surrey County Council. Surrey County Arts supported Lee
Simmons, a local artist to develop her practice through land art. Lee had
previously carried out a successful Quarry project in partnership with
Lockwood Day Centre that led to a project and exhibition with the artists
with disabilities.


The temporary artwork at Betchworth Quarry, a former land fill site, was
aimed at encouraging debate about land use. Local firemen assisted in
partly colouring the chalk face with harmless dyes while the farmer
assisted in colouring sheep with approved dye. We understand that the
artist consulted with the landowner, English Nature, Surrey Hills AONB
office and the farmer. We also would have hoped that sufficient
consultation had taken place with the residents and all concerned. English
Nature confirms that necessary surveys were carried out to ensure that no
damage or disturbance would be inflicted on the local wildlife.


The event itself held on Saturday 24th June included an opportunity to
discuss the work with the artist and view the associated exhibition on the
site. The event gained a very varied response from visitors. Many walkers
and visitors were delighted with the event and stopped to talk to the
artist at length about her work and land use. The artist is collecting and
responding to feedback on www.leesimmons.org


In response to your request for information, the person who financially
supported this project from Surrey County Arts, SCC was , xxxxxxxxx.
However, as this was just a small part of the funding and it is
not an SCC project, I do not have the further information you request.
This was a project initiated by the artist and she wrote the funding
proposals to Arts Council etc and made all the contacts mentioned herself.
The cost of the dye would have been incorporated into her Arts Council bid
of which she may be able to forward to you.
xxxxxxxxx
27/06/06 18:57 Subject: Art in the
Landscape


I was quite appalled to find that the traditional white landscape of the
Betchworth "cliffs" had been spoiled in the interests of so-called art
without so much as the decency of consultation with those that have to look
at this abomination. I realise that the cliffs, themselves, are artificial
but they have stood guard over Betchworth now for well over 100 years now
and if there is to be a change even on a temporary basis than I think those
of us that know and love them should be consulted first. This may be in
the interests of "art" but some of us at least, regard this as a
desecration of the environment and of our personal environment in
particular. No permission for this change of visual approach in an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty had been presented to the planners either at
County Hall or more particularly to Mole Valley District Council.


Furthermore the expenditure of money on something as frivolous as this at a
time when local services are under such pressure for lack of finance is
very hard to justify. Within a matter of the few miles, the East Surrey
Hospital is struggling to make ends meet, while some of the local roads are
in an appalling state, and yet public money -- indeed part of my money --
is being used/misuse for irrelevancies such as this.


Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, I shall be pleased
if you will kindly let me know the name of the individuals who gave
authority for this artistic demonstration to go ahead. I should also be
pleased if you will kindly let me know which elected body is responsible
for the expenditure of monies for the payment of the Fire Brigade or the
Fire Brigade costs, and also for the cost of the paint. I shall also be
pleased if you will kindly let me know who is the so-called artist(s) and
what fee they received for this exercise.


By copy of this e-mail I am asking my local county Councillor and my local
district Councillor to take this up to with their respective organisations.


Yours faithfully


xxxxxxxxxx




Hi again xxxx,
I understand your concern, and hope that the fact that the work is temporary, a temporary alteration to highlight issues outside of Betchworth as well as within the local area in the long term, carried out by a diverse group from the local community in partnership with varied authorities as a way of highlighting environmental issues for best interest to the natural environment will go some way to alleviate your concerns and distress.
I am sorry for any upset and inconvenience this has caused you but also hope that people will continue to speak out and support each other in this.
Perhaps the manner that this project has been carried out: being that it is very visible at present and that certain members of the community were uninformed despite efforts to get word out has made it controversial in a less productive sense than we would hope (vandalism Vs art debate).
I am currently collating the documentation and hope that the community of Betchworth will come to a discussion at this event, in the area, once the pink chalk has faded to discuss the land use and the work in retrospect.
Best regards,
Lee


Listen, I appreciate what you are trying to do – you’ll have to believe me on this. I am a great lover of art, having lived most of my early life travelling abroad (all over this planet – mostly in the ‘so called’ third world) and I’ve seen some wonderful things as well as some not so.






In this particular case I honestly believe that the last 2 years could have been much better spent. Whatever you think of what you have done, I’m afraid it is a bl@@dy eyesore. I love the countryside and nature, but this particular venture is an abomination to it. In no way does it capture anything except ‘Mans’ total contempt for the natural world. If this was what you were trying to achieve – why do it here? We have enough problems with bl@@dy Londoners building on ‘protected’ green field sites as it is.






I’m sorry, this is my point of view – as everybody is entitled to their own opinion; but why, if we’re trying to preserve the countryside, do we deface it? Isn’t nature wonderful as it is? There’s precious little of it left – why disfigure what is left?
xxxxxxxx






Hi xxxxxxxx,


I agree that nature doesn't need a makeover, this is largely what the work is about.


It most certainly wasn't mindless with 2 years of research behind it.


There is an information room with reasons why and how this work was made available at the quarry and more information about my previous work at the axis artists website and at www.lockwoodartists.org.uk that will hopefully help clarify the thought and reasoning behind the work.


Best wishes,


Lee Simmons




>----Original Message----
> From:
xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Jun 30, 2006 1:10:59 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subj: FW: Mindless Vandalism of Mole Valley
>
>












--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


From:
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Mindless Vandalism of Mole Valley






Pink Chalk Face






I first thought it was an act of mindless drunks, then I find out it was done by an equally mindless so called ‘artist’ which was approved by an equally mindless bunch of councillors.






I sincerely hope they are going to pay for the clean up out of their own pockets and refund the grant money in full.






This is not art by any stretch of the imagination, its pure vandalism. Nature does not need a make over, try respecting it. Isn’t that what we are constantly told to remind kids – what a perfect example to show them.






Someone’s head better roll for this utter crass stupidity.






xxxx




It is not only that I don't like the work, I find the decision to fund it with grant money abhorent. It is of a purely minority interest when other majority needs are not being catered for. Why don't you raise the funds via private individuals who also enjoy your specialist corner of the art world. Take a few quid off each of your supporters and pay the grant back. (Maybe call it a "conceptual gesture" to square it with your peers)


As to keeping criticisms on your website, do you promise to keep your art in the shed at the bottom of your garden?
xxxxxx


Dearxxxx,
Sorry you don't like the work.
The sheep are perfectly fine.
You can see more information at www.leesimmons.org and comment there if
you like.
Alot of emails are coming in, I am aware you also contacted SCA, it would
be helpful it we could keep it in one place and not involve other organisations
unnecessarily.
Best wishes,
Lee
> ----Original Message----
> From: xxxx
> Date: Jun 29, 2006 7:53:58 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subj: My Chalk face
>
> Madam,
>
> Not since my visit to Tate Modern have I experienced such condescending
> self-indulgent twaddle as to desecrate my chalk face that I have known
and
> loved for 47 years. We are quite aware of the beauty of our area without
> having your patronising highlighter pen daubed all over it. Local rumour
was
> that it had been vandalised as some public school prank. To now learn that
> it is "art" both pre-meditated and funded by Grant Money has finally
brought
> to our area the nonsense normally attributed to left wing London local
> authorities.
>
> We can only now hope that it fades quickly, the sheep are not traumatized
> for the rest of their short lives and your misguided shallow supporters
have
> a whip round to repay the Grant.
>
> Regards
xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Hi xxxxx,
I was aware of the pollution to water passing below the quarry, and it
is interesting to highlight these situations that I am sure are not isolated
to Betchworth.
I am not aware of the finance issues of the council and the conservation
of the quarry, but don't doubt that the costs of my project were minute
in comparison to dealing with the sealing of landfill problems. Also Surrey
County Arts is a different strand to County Council who have a small amount
of money to contribute to projects that they feel will bring something new
to the county, raising awareness of environmental issues is not their usual
remit, we are lucky that this project works on art and environment issues
at the same time. Also it was mainly Arts Council money, Surrey County Arts
enabled my project to begin and the Arts Council enabled it to be carried
out with necessary resources (for documentation, research and communication
of the work) which were still fairly minimal in comparison to most projects
with this reach.
The colours will blend and change over time, the porous chalk will help
the work to survive longer than in a slate quarry, but the pink will gradually
fade and the pigment chosen is for its impermanent and non toxic qualities.
Thank you for your questions, I hope that you will continue to engage with
the work.
Best wishes,
Lee


Are you aware that the landfill below your Art project was filled with toxic waste which is now leaching into the Ground Water. Surrey County Council was meant to monitor the landfill but claims that it did not have sufficient resources to complete this. However, Surrey County Arts was able to fund your project.


My personal opinion is that it defaces a beautiful part of Surrey and I am sure that therre will be evidence of this act for years to come (the porous chalk will absorb some of the paint so it will not all wash off). However, I do think that it will highlight the danger of the toxic waste beneath it - perhaps that was your aim all along?


Yours sincerely,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx




Dear xxxx
I have already apologised for and explained the blunt response of my initial
email.
I have now updated the website to communicate the entire methodology behind
this work to avoid further misunderstandings.
I apologise if my email appeared to accuse you of insulting marginalised
groups. Information on whom I worked with has been available throughout
but I acknowledge that it could have been clearer.
My best wishes,
Lee


Dear Ms Simmons


I have not insulted or assaulted you, I have criticised your art project and
your approach to it and whilst I've been forthright in my comments I've been
polite about it.


To pick up on a few of your points:


1/ You say I've not been trying to speak to you. With all due respect what
do you think this email correspondence has been about if not an attempt by
me to speak to you?!


2/ You say I call your artwork arrogant. I didn't - I called your reply to
my first email arrogant, in part because you ended your email exhorting me
to "Think about it."


3/ Finally and most seriously, do not accuse me of insulting disabled or
marginalised people. Incidentally it's not clear from your website that
your group involves disabled and marginalised people but in any case
disliking what you've done to Betchworth Quarry does not equate to insulting
disabled people. It was an extremely stupid and insensitive thing to accuse
me of considering you know nothing of my background or personal / family
circumstances.


I'd like you to apologise for that comment. Then I don't feel there's any
value in continuing this correspondence.


Believe it or not I wish you a successful career but please recognise your
responsibility to consider all stakeholders and points of view in future.


Yours sincerely
xxxxxxx


Dear xxxxxx,
I'm sorry that you disliked my email, however I believe you could have approached
me in the first instance more in a spirit of attempting to talk to me about
the project rather than trying to insult or assault me.
Many people find the result beautiful and some have not enjoyed it. I understand
you are part of the latter group and am sorry for any concern this has caused.
I have not attempted to upset anyone.
But I had hoped that by looking at the website you would understand this
is not some "arrogant and patronising artist" who is out to "desecrate the
natural wildlife" but rather a group of disabled people and often marginalised
young people (with the support of groups like the fire brigade, local farmers
and the local authority) seeking to do something they, and we, feel is beautiful
and which is - something you are really not taking on board - temporary.
This is not a permenant exhibit. There is no impact on the stone or the
sheep.
It has brought great joy to the often marginalised people whose ideas were
incorporated. Your repeated assertion that this is "my" idea or "me" being
arrogant is unfair and fails to understand the process of this project.
I'm sorry to write so bluntly, because I honestly seek and have sought
to make people happy, but you have simply not been trying to speak to me
or understand how this came about.
If you call the artwork arrogant it is not only me you insult, but the
community groups and the disabled people whose ideas it embraced. Please
seriously consider this, though I respect your right to complain to whoever
you wish and am happy to speak to you at your convenience if that would
be of use to you.
Respectfully Yours,
Lee
> ----Original Message----
> From: xxxxxxxx
> Date: Jun 30, 2006 10:56:32 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subj: Re: 'Art'
>
> Dear Ms Simmons,
>
> With all due respect I find your reply both arrogant and patronising. I
see
> from your website that you also dyed sheep for use in this project. Your
> intrinsic lack of respect for the environment and for animals is staggering.
>
> I will be writing to my local MP on this issue.
>
xxxxx
>
>


Dear xxxxx,
I wonder what gives you the right to treat the world the way you do?
Please look at the blog site www.leesimmons.org for more info and comment
there, it means I wont keep writing the same thing.
The traces of the event are temporarily visible and otherwise harmless.
Think about it that way...?
Lee


> ----Original Message----
> From: xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Jun 29, 2006 10:23:41 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subj: 'Art'
>
> Dear Ms Simmons,
>
> I'm disgusted with your so-called artwork which is actually a desecration of
> the local environment. Perhaps you'd like to explain what gives you
the
> right to treat the natural world like this.
>
> I'd also be grateful if you could confirm whether you received any
> taxpayers' money to do this and what permission you received and from
whom.
>xxxxxxxxx
>
Lee,


Thank you for instigating the communication I had with xxxxxxx
yesterday afternoon and I apologise for the delay in getting back to you.


xxxxxxx was very helpful and it would appear that the matter is now
closed. I understand that the sheep will be moved to Boxhill either today
or tomorrow and will again be in the public eye - we will now be able to
respond confidently that all regulations have been complied with.


Good luck with all your future art projects.


Regards.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Surrey County Council Trading Standards


(Further discussion and emails followed, the farmer then contacted trading standards to clarify methodology.)


> ----Original Message----
> From:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Jun 28, 2006 10:21:02 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subj: Surrey County Council Trading Standards - Animal Health
>
> Dear Ms Simmons,
>
> I am writing with reference to the well publicised colouring event at
> Betchworth Quarry on 24th June that involved the painting of white chalk
> and sheep.
>
> There has been some concern voiced regarding the welfare of the sheep and
I
> would be grateful if you would provide the details of the owners of the
> sheep at your earliest convenience so that this matter may be investigated.
>
> Yours sincerely,
> xxxxxxxxxxx


>


Hi Lee


I found your email address on the Surrey Hills website. I’ve been following in the Surrey Mirror news of your installation in Betchworth – haven’t been to have a look yet, but from the pictures in the paper I think it looks great! I also like the idea of getting people to look at their environment in a new way.


Green Places is a journal that focuses on all aspects of public space. It’s read by a whole range of people from landscape architects to local authorities and community groups and I should like to include something about your work in it. Each month we have a page we call Viewfinder on which we just feature one striking image (I’m attaching an example of a past Viewfinder). Might you have an image that could be used at 21cm wide by 22cm high (300 dpi)? If you don’t have one strong image (and maybe it would be hard to capture it all in one image), we could perhaps look at doing a montage.


Anyway, perhaps you could get back to me to let me know what you think and we can take it from there.


Fingers crossed!


Kind regards
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Green Places




--------------------------------------------------------




Hi Lee,


I had a fantastic time on Friday & Saturday. Thank you for letting me join in the fun. You had such a nice bunch of people supporting you, it was great to meet them. I hope that it went well for you on Sunday too. I have got some great photos of the firemen. I have a disc for you which I am happy to post, or you could drop by if you are in Guildford .


Please let me know about your future ventures.


Thanks again


Sue






From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 19 June 2006 10:58
To: xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Photography


Hi Lee,






Peter Ockenden kindly showed us around The Lockwood centre
yesterday. I am very interested in your work. I am a photographer and I have
just done the Open Studios myself (studio 38).






I don’t want to tread on any ones toes as Peter said
that you had a photographer however I would very much like to photograph your quarry
project and I am happy for the photographs to be of benefit to the project. It would
be very nice to meet you to discuss this further.


xxxxxxxx








Hi Lee,


I had a fantastic time on Friday & Saturday. Thank you for letting me join in the fun. You had such a nice bunch of people supporting you, it was great to meet them. I hope that it went well for you on Sunday too. I have got some great photos of the firemen. I have a disc for you which I am happy to post, or you could drop by if you are in Guildford .


Please let me know about your future ventures.


Thanks again


Sue


Hi Lee,


I wasn't able t make it at the weekend, but the pictures on your site look amazing.


It'll be good to hear about how you feel about it when you;ve had a chance to digest everything...


ANyway, well done...take care,


Sonya x




short and sweet like gingerbread men....x I like


>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: xxxxxx
>To: [email protected]
>Sent: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 09:20:24 +0000
>Subject: Re: hi
>
> Hey
> Think that you should keep on the case,, and keep people interested, you >put alot of hard work and that should be reminded to people for future , >reference and funding etc,,,if people don t want to look at pics on there >email . all they have to do is click..but I do think that hearing about >people responces we help you make things clearer, and you ll probably find >that will be some nice replies , which is always a nice thing...
>keep up he good work , and get sending girl
>
> >From: [email protected]
> >To: xxxxxx
> >Subject: Re: hi
> >Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 05:08:00 -0400
> >
> > Thanks for coming yesterday, sorry I didnt get a chance >to chat >with you! Glad you liked the work. I am still digesting it.
> >I'm putting a few bits on a blog site at www.leesimmons.org and am >thinking >of emailing people the site address and some pics but dont want >to shove it >down their necks if they don't want. what do you reckon? Nice >to give >people a space to comment?
> >Hopefully see you soon for a pint.
> >Lee xx
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: xxxxxxxx
> >To: [email protected]
> >Sent: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 21:28:24 +0000
> >Subject: hi
> >
> > Hi,,, hope all went well...
> >
> > It all seemed to be flowing in the right direction, and looking very
>>amazing...
> > it was really cool to see,,, although we were late and missed out on > >things,,, and had to leave early through to commitments, it was still >great >to experience....
> >so thank you for sharing with us ...
> >
> > I hope that many good things come from it, and you get lots of >experience >and feed back ....
> >
> > sorry for the fleeting /fleashing visit barrrrrrr visit,,,,but very >glad >we came ...
> >
> >its certainly given me lots to think about ......
> >
> >hope you blossom from it............
> >
> >bet your completly nnnnakkkerreed,,bzzzziinng and lots more
> >
> >
> >well done .........
> >
> >
> >Adie x
> >
> >




Hi Lee,


Many thanks for contacting us about the Quarry art project. We've had a
few calls from local residents concerned about the impact on the local
area. We would very much like to interview you about the art project,
and perhaps you can quash any fears.


If you could give me a call to discuss, that would be great. My number's
xxxxxxxxx


Best Regards


xxxxxx
Surrey District Reporter, BBC Southern Counties Radio






Hey Lee,


just to say saturday at the Quarry 2 event this weekend was absolutely brill, a
fantastic piece of artwork and a great day out too! i was talking to my friends
at work today about what we did at the weekend, everyone was very intrigued and
wanted to find out more. i hope sunday went well too, it'll be interesting to
see how the landscape of pink changes over time. i'll have to see if my friend
in dorking can see the pink from her house.


big congratulations on the project.






Hi Lee
Brilliant, fantastic colour. As well as beauty there is "sound of war
blowing in our ears".
It's also like the marker that is used when people vote, only this time
it
is when someone has been subversive.


Do you know Graham Hudson, he has a mega project on the parade ground
at the
new Chelsea Millbank Campus.


I will forward you the link.


Also I am woking for Richmond Mencap again 24 July to 11 august and
will
stay a few days after in Richmond. From 20th July my mob number is
xxxxxxxx. Perhaps we can meet up?


Cheers


xxxxxxxxx


Hi Lee


Hope the Sunday went well. I really enjoyed seeing the work, and having one of the most relaxing days out I've had in ages! It was good to see the CCRED gys, and to speak with others about the project.


See you soon


xxxxx


Dear Lee
I was at Q:2 on Saturdary - wonderful and would like to have stayed longer but previous engagements prevented me from doing so. But we saw the pink powder puff finale... Are you going to be at Betchworth at all this week? My home phone number is xxxxxxxx - please ring me any time as I will be around. (I am trying to get back to work after a protracted illness so am doing part - time hours at present). I didn't have time to look at your project plans for long enough. Where will you be showing the sheep? Please tell me when you publish the book/ catalogue to this project. My address is xxxxxxxxxxxxx.


I would be delighted if you could tell me of other art events that you are planning.


Thank you.


Susan


Hi Una,
I'm glad you enjoyed the event and that your neighbours like the colours! With regard to your offer of assistance, that is very interesting as we still have alot of powder left.
I will be running a workshop at the site on Thursday with an art group from Guildford so that could be the ideal opportunity to use up the pigment, though the process of gaining permission for the initial event was lengthly and the project was very difficult for the firemen so I would not recommend absailing the chalk face. It might be possible to attach yourselves with ropes to trees and drop powder from the edge, though we have to be very careful of the grassland and so far I only have permission for the firemen on the 24th to access that area.
Other than that the work is largely about the site: landfill, so to redo the work elsewhere isn't really appropriate... on the other hand the work developes largely according to other people's suggestions and contributions so feel free to put forward ideas.
Thanks and best wishes,
Lee


dear lee






thanks for the fun. my neighbours in Oakdene
close, Brockham can see it and love it.


also Brockham village hall Club and WCMS, Wealden
Cave and Mine Soc, based in merstham. we absiel, have all the gear, risk
assess etc so would be happy to help on anything similiar.






REME, royal artillary engineers, great garity
abseils for novices, anywhere, also there own site on public path, stable cliff,
newhaven, near brighton.






good luck Una Duffy


Dear xxxx, The lambs displayed no signs of distress, the sprays are approved by the farmers guild and wore off after a fortnight. You can see more about the process and comment at www.leesimmons.org as well as by joining the event on Saturday. Don't worry, I would not cause animals harm, the work aims for environmental well being not the other way around. Best wishes, Lee br>




>----Original Message----
>
From: xxxxxx
>
Date: Jun 22, 2006 11:10:54 AM
>
To: [email protected]
>
Subj: QUARRY EVENT
>






After seeing the article in the local press regarding the quarry event you are organising, I would like to express my concerns regarding the spraying of the lambs with dye. I think it was totally unnecessary, and I can't imagine could have been very pleasant for them, and totally unnatural.


I would assume that these lambs are, in the not too distant future, for slaughter, and feel it is extremely distasteful to use them in this way.






Yours faithfully






xxxxxx


Hi xxxxx,
Nice to hear from you. I hope you will join the event on Saturday and we
can talk then. There is also a site to post comments at www.leesimmons.org
The pink is chosen to highlight and draw attention to the site: it has
been tested and is temporal so don't worry.
I look forward to talking to you in the future,
Best wishes,
Lee


> ----Original Message----
> From: xxxxxx
> Date: Jun 22, 2006 12:45:56 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subj: Betchworth quarry
>
> Hi Lee
>
> can I introduce myself.
>
> I work on restoring mineral sites for Surrey County Council, and have just
> learnt of your event this weekend, following concern expressed to us.
>
> I would be very interested in talking to you sometime about art & quarries,
> always on the look out for new ideas and angles.
>
> Unfortunately, not knowing about your project (the AONB Chaps hadn't told
> us), we've expressed a view that painting the cliffs pink is not a good
> idea, when asked by a third party. Betchworth has a history unfortunately!
>
> by this stage, if you've read as far as this, you probably thinking what
a
> beaurocratic kill joy I am, but you have no idea of the fight and struggle
> we've had to get to where we are, which is not as satisfactory as chaps
> like myself would like environmentally.
>
> Anyrate, just being brutally honest and wanted to touch base that perhaps
> we could have a chat sometime about projects in quarries.
>
> I was interested in your comment about Oxted, for I too was negotiating an
> alternative (involving restoring the kilns, public access, chalk grassland
> restoration, etc), but it fell through.
>
> Betchworth already has lovely rose pink cliff as sunset, and I wonder
> whether lighting would not have been better. but then we could have a
> lovely discussion on is that sustainable, and I'm aware art is very much
> down to personal taste, interpretation, etc. sometimes done for
> appreciation, sometimes to shock and stimulate.
>
> If you're into stimulating debate about quarries, their restoration,
> landscape, etc (I would add wildlife too) we should definitely meet,
as I
> think there could be a common agenda.
>
> apologies that I've been negative about pink cliffs, but the likes of
me
> end up picking up the collateral impact and comments.
>
> kind regards
>
> xxxxxxx
 
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Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Tue 27 Jun 2006 01:11 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Saw my doctor on Monday morning (nothing serious) and, knowing she has a house in Buckland that has a good view of the cliffs, I asked if she had seen the pink etc. She nearly phoned the old bill thinking that vandals were defacing the cliff-face!!
Personally I can say that our family enjoyed talking with you and the grand-daughters loved seeing the coloured sheep. I never thought much about piles of bricks or unmade beds as art but you have now stimulated our thinking to embrace unusual ideas.
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Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Wed 28 Jun 2006 03:14 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Hi,
That's good to know, I'm glad you enjoyed the day and hope that your doctor is enjoying a new view for a while. We had alot of police helicopters circling above the site during the event so they were having a good look of their own accord.
There will be an exhibition of the video and photographs from the event as well as information gathered throughout later in the year, so have another look at the blog in a month or so for details, or email me your contact details to forward you info. about this if you would like to be contacted about it.
All the best,
Lee
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Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Wed 28 Jun 2006 09:37 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Personally I have nothing against Art - cross with it being funded by SCC and having no consultation for local residents. There has been widespread dismay re: land use issue from our village - did you know SCC are pushing for substantial sand quarrying within Betchworth Village? You are being used by SCC- they want to be seen as 'in touch' with the issue of land use but are in fact the instigators of a totally unrealistic Minerals Plan affecting a large area to the south of your project- have a look at www.camel.org.uk . Sorry to be negative- think you have been manipulated by SCC so don't take any criticism personally / good luck with your work.


Graham Edwards
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Fri 30 Jun 2006 12:53 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear Graham,
Your reaction is interesting but I disagree that I have been used by SCC. I have made some work that has prompted debate about art, environment and art in the environment. This I would do with or without the backing of SCC, who haven't had involvement with the development of this work. All community parties worked in kind and it was a training exercise for the firemen. There was consultation with the local community, not in the form of public meetings, but I created opportunities for feedback, gave my email address out in publicity material and material explaining the work in the local area as well as other sites across the county and engaged with people in the village about the work.
I have received alot of positive feedback about the project from people wjho live and work in the area as well as across the South East.
If the work is highlighting land use then don't you think its valid to have the work at this site and at this time?
I am also hoping to draw attention to Oxted Quarry that has been reactivated despite being a place of historical interest in terms of art and conservation.


In terms of negative responses directed toward my funders, I think this underlines the tendancy to worry about what we can see on a very surface level which is the human nature... ?


This work in itself is low maintenance, temporal, low cost, involved positive collaborations and has generated a huge amount of debate not necessarily directed at myself but to the authorities 'who let this happen?' which most definately highlights the way we interact with and respond to our environment and each other, issues of power control and ownership... as well as interpretation and communication of people, space and place.


The work also raises questions about the purpose and process of artists working in the public sphere so I appreciate your comment that you think I was used as an instrument by funders almost as a profile lifter or advertisement. In this case I had a lot of freedom and believe the work is how I would make it funded or not, but it is often the case that artists and groups of artists do become instruments for other agendas and this is something well worth addressing.


Best wishes,
Lee
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Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Fri 30 Jun 2006 06:31 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
The responses to Q:2 that have been directed by local residents to local authorities are mixed.
It could be beneficial if the work continues to raise awareness of land use in Surrey but that the work also prompts discussion about the environment that we can't see as well as that which we can, and not necessarily our own back garden but globally.
It is a tricky one as the nature of the project is that there are marks and traces of activity on a beautiful view, though the reasons for this are toward consideration of these spaces and tendancies to mark make and control the land and each other, and the people involved in making this work did so with a social and environmental conscience.


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Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Fri 30 Jun 2006 06:58 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
This "art" is nothing short of funded graffiti. Does this mean that all graffiti artists are worthy of funding, in order to "engage" the public? What right does Lee have to desecrate the natural environment?
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Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Fri 30 Jun 2006 07:56 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I agree, she doesn't have a right. Maybe that is what the work is saying?
Philip Oldfield
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Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Sun 02 Jul 2006 12:44 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I think your "art" was a total waste of public money, which would have been better devoted to actually conserving the landscape that you chose to deface. What gives you the right to force your wishes onto the public, which is effectively what has happened?


It's a shame that you didn't engage at an early enough stage with organisations such as English Nature and Surrey Wildlife Trust in order to do something that all parties could see as entirely positive for the environment. Both organisations were instead forced into fighting for damage limitation, and in my opinion as a professional ecologist who has studied the Betchworth site they did not have the opportunity to take all impacts of the exercise into account, e.g. impact upon all Biodiversity Action Plan priority species.


Obviously you can't be held responsible for any inadequacies in the working of these organisations or the relevant legislation which should have protected such an important site. But you should be aware that your actions have undoubtedly damaged the nationally-important wildlife interests of this site. Let's just hope that those impacts are as transient as your art.
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Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Sun 02 Jul 2006 02:40 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear Anonymous.


You have raised a very relevant point about the ownership of this work that I will go into shortly.


I agree that I do not have any right to force my wishes on anyone: in any form.


English Nature and English Wildlife fighting for damage limitation? These organisations were informed about what was happening and their knowledge and expertise requested, granted and valued.


Protection of this site and the wildlife species on this site: during the run up to this work a survey of wildlife on and around the site was acrried out identifying species on the reclaimed land. This is the first and only ornithological survey that has been carried out at this site and it was part of this project.
The information has been made available at the landfill site to help inform people about the area.


There were no priority species on the cliff or the reclaimed land that was used during this piece of work.


With regard to the ownership of the work, the piece is the work of many different people, as are most of the projects I involve myself with, there is no claim to own any of the ideas or resulting documentation, nobody does.
The photographer has rights to own the photographs but even she, with a strong understanding of my practice, has given up ownership of several of the images. The landowner owns the resulting traces, though they will fade over time... and many villagers feel that they own that land too, so perhaps they also now feel they own the work.


I am not trying to be clever here, this is a fundamental concern with this kind of creative practice.


I am going to explain how the work came about as the process is being grossly misinterpreted with this finger pointing and accusations of thoughtless and mindless vandalism.
There will be a post titled, idea process or whose idea was this very shortly that I hope you will read and will be glad for your response.


Warm regards,
Lee Simmons
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Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Sun 02 Jul 2006 03:06 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I totally agree that this a complete waste of public money, and that we have had this "art" imposed on us. We have no choice about whether we wish to view it or not, which is totally unacceptable. As to consulting English Wildlife (why are they?), I understand that the Surrey Wildlife Trust was informed of this project, but their objection was overriden. I will be very interested to hear how the work came about, as it is beyond belief. I am surprised that any professional artist would want to be associated with a project which has upset so many people.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Mon 03 Jul 2006 02:24 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear Anonymous,
Please see the post 'whose idea was this' to better understand how this work came about.
I appreciate your opinion and hope that we can discuss this further at an exhibition of documentation and / or you will continue to consider how the work came about and the unique nature of such open and generous collaborations. It is a pleasure to be associated with a project that has made alot of people very happy and has raised issues concerning the place of art in the public sphere and environmental control within others; though it is also regretful that some of these others are unhappy that the project has taken place and it would be wonderful if they were to find out more about the work and the purpose of such projects.
It is without hesitation that I put my name to a project that has embraced ideas from a wide range of people, bringing these ideas together and the input from these diverse teams to make the ideas a reality and prove that it is possible to make strong works happen through collaborating with, helping and listening to each other. In the future my intention is to continue to work on such pieces which many consider beautiful in content and meaning, methodology as well as the resulting aesthetic... and am glad of the continued involvement of a wide range of people, who appreciate and support bold whilst socially conscientious ideas.
With warm regards,
Lee Simmons
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Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Tue 04 Jul 2006 12:09 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
The truth is that both English Nature and Surrey Wildlife Trust were against this event on the basis of their professional opinions. But the former was unable to stop it due to the inadequacies of the legal protection as the cliff is not specifically mentioned in the SSSI citation.


You claim "There were no priority species on the cliff", referring to BAP Priority Species, yet only mention an ornithological survey, so how do you know? What about other taxonomic groups such as invertebrates? Silver-spotted skippers make extensive use of Festuca ovina on the cliff, i.e. a BAP Priority Species, and it would be very surprising not to find some of the rare aculeate hymenoptera if sufficient time had been given to survey the site properly before the decision was taken to proceed with the event.


I can't understand how you can say "I agree that I do not have any right to force my wishes on anyone: in any form", yet had the audacity to go ahead with an event that does precisely that, and at public expense.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Wed 05 Jul 2006 03:51 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear Anonymous,


Thanks for your comment, It has provoked varied thoughts in me and finally I think the main points to address are as follows.


There was an overall survey with particular attention to bird life: on the recommendation of English Nature. The other sensitive area that was brought to light was the possible presence of orchids at the top of the cliff: which information from English Nature and Surrey Wildlife Trust helped identify and avoid. There were no other issues brought to light to concern this project: the commission is not all that big and this light dusting of non toxic temporal colour by a group of people, coordinated by myself has brought to light issues surrounding the circumstance of this reclaimed land as well as the place of art in the public sphere which can be considered as of great value in an area that has not previously experienced such work.


I continue to agree that I do not have the right to force my wishes on anyone: in any form... this is a core assertion of this work.


I hope that the comments you have raised about species that could be present on the cliff will inspire response from people with a more in depth knowledge than I have of these species and look forward to hearing what others might think about this.


The research that did go ahead was not necessary for the project to happen, it took place due to a concern from myself and others I spoke with on the subject that we highlight the environment with minimal damage: I am dropping the 'no damage as we can spilt hairs over this for eternity... just living is damage isn't it?


In respect of this it's relevant to consider the nose to tail traffic in Surrey rush hour: the most dense in the UK I believe? As well as the consumption rate: is it true that Surrey residents are some of the largest consumers in UK and therefore world? It's interesting that this work has provoked such a strong reaction amongst Surrey residents: the most letters to the local paper on any one subject... in response to a team comprising of an artist, some firemen, a farmer and disabled artists seeking to raise awareness by undertaking something beautiful... likely because it is on the residents doorstep and highly visible... if only for a fortnight.


This kind of balance of attention and importance based on that which we can see in comparison to that which is hidden or not in direct view or with direct effect on our living conditions, has been and is continueing to be addressed by this work, very successfully...?


Best regards,
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Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Wed 05 Jul 2006 10:40 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Dear All


When local communities are consulted on they what they think the
priorities for the environment are guess what the top two are in many
cases? You got it - cleaning up dog mess and graffiti. Sad but true.
Most of us are only really interested in what we can see from our own
backyard. What we should be concentrating on are those things that
truly impact on the environment in a way that threatens to the ability
of our kids and our kid's kids to live like we do. Dying a cliff pink
isn't one of those things.


So to those of you who are shouting about the damage that has been done
to the natural environment by this project - if you already only eat
organic locally grown food, don't own car, never fly, compost and re-use
any waste you produce, live a carbon neutral life (offsetting the carbon
you produce from using electricity etc. by planting trees), use only
eco-friendly cleaning products, recycle the water you use.......the list
goes on....then sure, you can spare the time to worry about things like
this project. But I am guessing that you, like myself, have a long way
to go before the level damage you do to the environment is anywhere near
as small as the potential impact a project like this.


Be honest. Unless you do already do all those things then the reason
most of you object to quarry:2 isn't because you care about it's impact
on the environment. It is because you don't like looking at it. But at
least it has got us thinking. So let's take this opportunity to start
looking a bit wider and direct our effort towards addressing the things
that really matter - our own actions - instead of always blaming someone
else. There really are more important things in life.




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Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Wed 05 Jul 2006 02:34 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I'm certainly not claiming to be perfect, but actually I do do most of those things and a lot more besides.


But it's not for that reason that I agree with many other objectors on this site and argue against this type of act that has the potential to damage the environment in its widest sense. It's because there was absolutely no reason to do it in the first place, it wasn't well done, it's predictably failed to achieve its aim to promote debate on land use, and because public money was wasted on it which could have been better used.
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For anon a and anon b
by leesimmons on Wed 05 Jul 2006 05:43 PM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
In response to the last two comments, first one (anon a), it's great to hear from you and I hope to hear more. There are specific issues about the site of the work which have come to light and have provoked many of the responses; however your concept of the bigger picture is valuable, totally fits the context of the work and makes absolute sense.


Last one (anon b): it's great to hear you live more conscientiously than the majority of us and it would be fantastic to hear more about this, just basic ways that people who are not so up on enviro. good practise can implement the suggestions that anon a suggests into their everyday lives. (Or anyone else who has ideas on this: be great to share them...)


I'm not so sure about the failure to promote debate on land use... since this project took place it's all I and some involved others have been doing in reaction to this project! Along with discussions about cross disciplinary practices, the subject of community, issues of art in the public sphere, the blog... which has also touched on these subjects as well as others related to the artwork which I am also keen to discuss, and hopefully will do so in more depth as the work continues to unfold.


The work wasn't well done? It is still being done, has reached many people, sparked debate and is continueing to do so. The way the team came together and the manner in which the event was carried out has inspired me, and according to others there to experience it: them also... as well as by the largely in kind support that was contributed from such a wide range of people and establishments despite the risk of this work in Surrey (in fact, it would be great if you let me know of land art happening in England both now and in the past: I'm not sure there's a huge amount probably because it's so difficult to get off the ground).


It was a very special experience for many people and is continuing to be so. Just today at Box Hill there were people commenting on the coloured sheep in the distance and trying to make out if they were real, as well as new tones and dimensions of the pink on the cliff face that is now more of an ash than fuschia, many people have loved the work and I hope that you will see what you think of the new aesthetic.
It would also be interesting if you visit the resulting exhibition of the project documentation and give feedback on that.


I am aware that there are things which could be carried out better, and am learning throughout this, the work hasn't been done before so it is bound to be a learning curve: as is every true venture, gesture, breath. Throughout the piece I have been and continue to be hugely inspired by and proud of the achievements of everyone involved and disagree that it was badly carried out.


Public money being spent on art is often a problem for people so I am not surprised by the last comment and trust that you have your own ideas of what money should be spent on.


No reason to do it in the first place? Why do anything? Maybe we shouldn't... part of the problem that I have encountered in the reaction to this work is the shock factor that people actually got together and did something.


Bests,
Lee




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Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Thu 06 Jul 2006 02:09 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I've been sitting in the sidelines watching this debate, but now feel i have to speak out. Your suggestion that those, like me, that try to be green only object because we "don't like looking at it" certainly isn't true for me.


I'm colour blind and actually had to ask someone else whether the cliff had been painted! So for me the look of it is immaterial. But I do object to something where public money is used for something that might unnecessarily damage the environment.


Lee gives the impression that environmental organisations like English Nature and the Wildlife Trust supported the venture, whereas the message from the person that raised the question about Silver spotted skippers suggests otherwise. And there's nothing in the message from the Countryside Agency, presumably speaking on behalf of both CA and EN, that says they actually SUPPORTED this work. It merely says they recognise that it will do certain things.


Regards,


Charlie
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Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Thu 06 Jul 2006 02:58 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear Charlie,


There is plenty of information on the site already about the work and its environmental impact so I will not write all that again. As with anon b, it's great you live green and more information on how people can implement the suggestions of anon a (who titles the mail Dear All I notice...) to everyday life this would be great to use in body of work that will be touring varied spaces, possibly with a publication: we would def. include such information.


I think I have already explained enough and very clearly that Eng. Nat and Surrey Wildlife supported the work through the provision of information: via email, phone and post as well as permission to the landowner to give me his permission: by mentioning them it has been a way of acknowledging the information on the land and on how best to carry out the work for no cost. Nowhere have I said I was funded by them, or that they egged us on.
If they would like to disassociate themselves from this I can remove the names from the site and replace them with stars: that's absolutely fine, though I will need this to come from the parties with whom I corresponded, who know who they are.


On a lighter note: what does a pink cliff look like to you? Have you seen the sheep? There are different strands of colour blind aren't there, I doubt any 2 people see a colour the same way but people who are colour blind must visually percieve things really quite differently to the majority?


Thanks for your mail and best wishes,
Lee
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Thu 06 Jul 2006 05:22 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I really enjoyed Lee's piece and I have to say that the very fact the she has allows these negative comments to be aired and enables this kind of debate about a landscape that is already artificial shows her worth to the community.


Kevin
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by Anonymous on Fri 07 Jul 2006 03:07 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
I agree with Kevin regarding the negative comments not only being aired but also the fact that Lee is responding to them in such a generous manner.As I was present at the event would I like to state that I enjoyed it immensely as firstly on a simple level it was really wonderful to see such a colourful and imaginative idea being bought to fruition. Secondly as an artist it was great to be present at an event that draws on such a strong history in the way artists can engage with the landscape, there have been many artists such as Richard Long and Christo who have temporarily changed or added to various landscapes including cityscapes in order to draw our attention to the very nature and often overlooked structure of our environment. I feel Lee's work has managed to achieve such a reconsidering of this specific site in a very unique and entertaining way. At the event I witnessed people enjoying the day, coming together and engaging not only with the work but with eachother for example I had a really interesting conversation with the farmer who provided the sheep aswell as many other people from the area and there was a really nice community feel to the day. I also witnessed people complaining about the work which I found very interesting as I found that a lot of their comments were a gut reaction to do with the fact that they had no input into how this site was to be used, they did not agree with it and felt a lack of control over the space. This I feel is an integral part of the work as it brings the work into the premise of a very current cultural debate regarding what is public space and who owns it?. I wonder if a billboard had been added to the cliff advertising coca cola would people be as upset as this is an everyday occurence in other so called public spaces.
Helena
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Mon 10 Jul 2006 03:06 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Thanks Kevin,
It was really nice to receive your comment as I was beginning to wonder if the blog was a mistake, but now am back to thinking it has been / is a valuable tool to communicate the work and have pretty direct and transparent communication of the process, the correspondance could also form a case study of sorts: on this process. Will see.
Will respond to Helena's mail (which really enjoyed reading) in a bit.
Cheers,
Lee
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by T E J Johnson on Tue 26 Sep 2006 06:29 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
So upset that I missed the pink cliff and coloured sheep! It all looks terrific fun and really beautiful. The reaction and debate it has fuelled is also excellent and in my opinion testimony to its success.


It is interesting the things we pass by day by day in our environment without ever really looking at them. With this work the people who have caught sight of it will have looked at the cliff and the sheep as if anew. Many have seen it for what it is and enjoyed the spectacle, some seemed shocked and upset to have a temporarily pink cliff. Sparking debate and controversy is a process which I think this is excellent and healthy, especially as your responses are so open and game even to some unnecessarily sharp attacks. I think the negative feelings stem from the feeling of being affronted but I imagine them to be temporary in nature. It reminds me somewhat abstractly of when I used to walk under a big tree everyday to school, I walked under its shade in the summer and kicked through its leaves in the autumn from the age of five to that of ten. One day I came across it to find it cut down, a giant stump. I made my mother call the council and ask - who the bloody hell cut down my tree? But it obviously made no difference as it has been destroyed. Most of the current negative reactions you are receiving are born of that sort of feeling. The big difference is, your artwork is only temporary in nature - the sheep and the cliff have now returned to their natural colours, but they are changed as way people look at them and regard them has changed. I have no doubt if my tree was magically returned I would have appreciated it all the more. I personally thought the pink cliff and sheep were great. I also think that even those who have left you negative comments will still (maybe unwittingly) contribute positively to the lasting affect of your art. In the future many will no doubt say to their children and grandchildren – ‘you know once I went past this cliff and it was bright pink and all the sheep where yellow red and blue!’ The children will look at the familiar cliff as if for the first time imagining it and the sheep all different colours. I think you have definitely added a dash of colour to the history of this landscape and I hope your great work doesn’t stop here!


Yours,


T E J Johnson
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Responses to Q:2
by leesimmons on Thu 28 Sep 2006 04:19 PM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
What a nice surprise! Haven't had any comments for a while and very happy to find this one!
Very best wishes,
Lee


PS. Sheep are in a group show at South Hill Park, Bracknell, 21st October, a new flock: maybe lambs this time, so it would be lovely to meet you there if you are free. There will also be further documentation of the previous quarry projects available.
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Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Mon 26 Jun 2006 02:57 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Quarry:2 event took place this weekend, there is a striking mark on the cliff face as a result of the activity that is highly visible from the A25, Reigate>Dorking train and planes in and out of Gatwick, as well as the surrounding area. The coloured sheep will remain at the site this week and will graze beneath Box Hill next week.


A few pictures are pasted below of core moments in the process of the colouring event, though some of the most significant moments are with the interaction between participants. The people involved particularly The Farmer, the Surrey Fire and Rescue Search and Rescue Team, and all the other volunteers were amazing to work with and formed a better team than it is possible to plan. 


We had around 200 visitors to the site and many viewing progress from the road and the medieval fair nearby, people were continueing to visit and comment when I left yesterday early evening. Most people were very enthusiastic with only a few showing concern, I directed them to the info. room at the entrance to the quarry to find out more about the background to the work and methodology used and am awaiting a response.


Conversation took place in a very organic manner, with people talking to each other throughout the event and several group chats that were unplanned. There has been interest among participants to meet and have a more structured discussion about the site and the work in the future, perhaps at an exhibition of the project documentation.










First we coloured blue sheep, then red, then yellow. They looked like other worldly ethereal creatures standing on top of the hill in the sunset literally glowing pure colour! The next day they were slightly mottled with go faster stripes having been rained on and in contact with other coloured sheep.


The process of colouring them was with spray paint used for wool marking, I tagged a few of them Lee's as a play on markage, control and ownership: this project has utilised ideas as well as physical contributions from between 10 and 20 people.








The firemen used the project as a training exercise, it was difficult for them in blazing hot sunshine, with hot air rising up the hill lifting the powder up rather than allowing it to drop down on the chalk, and the cliff face was loose making it a real stafety hazard as chalk fell on thier heads and from under their feet. We didn't manage to colour the whole cliff but we gave it a good shot and noone got hurt.






The exhausted firemen dropped some paint over the edge. We ended the work on the cliff face when they were no longer able to lift each other back over the top.


I hope that people will use this space to add their own comment, image, memory about the event and inform of any developments. Groups will be visiting this week and the work is already changing... sheep colours are merging and the colour on the chalk will move and change with the elements.


 
COMMENTS
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Re: Quarry:2 event
by Caroline on Mon 26 Jun 2006 12:31 PM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Fantastic project, full of colour, great to see in a natural landscape. I can't wait to see how the project changes and develops over time.


Well done
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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Tue 27 Jun 2006 03:05 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Thanks, sheep are now green and purple as well as the primary colours where they have been rained on and huddled together, and the pink will be moving and fading according to rain and shine... I am photographing the changes.
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Re: Quarry:2 event
by Anonymous on Mon 03 Jul 2006 06:31 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Ambitious in scale, and execution, ‘Quarry 2 ‘has continued to develop well established themes, whilst maintaining a keen sense of spontaneity with its diverse contributors, and a flexibility of intent.
Equally grounded in both the social and environmental, the project worked on a variety levels, which, when combined with its inherently playful quality made the work accessible to a wide audience


The work appeared more confrontational than previous installations. Rather than creating a personal space and inviting an audience to engage, the artist has adopted a more pro-active stance. Despite the transient nature of the work, Quarry 2 risks being interpreted as an invasive or aggressive statement.
However, considering the sensitive nature of the site, initial feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with a wide cross section of visitors, and high degree of engagement.


A huge diversity of influences were in evidence, and all freely acknowledged. Whilst strong editorial control maintained a genuine sense of cohesion, I feel individual themes within the work were sufficiently strong to stand alone. Sometimes more ‘is’ more, but it can also be interpreted as a lack of self- belief.


The ‘processional’ approach to the site, with its pilgrimage like quality, provided an interesting sense of transition that I would like to have seen developed further. Whilst the ‘quarry painting’ element was visually stunning I felt the intimacy of previous projects was somehow missing. Presented with the sheer scale of the spectacle it was perhaps to easy for visitors to remain detached and anonymous.


The sheep will always be the stars of the show, and will be my enduring memory of the event. Regardless of any artistic intent, the child like glee they evoked in even the most cynical spectator was reason enough.


For me the choice of pink for the quarry face carried too many prior associations, not all of which appeared strictly relevant or helpful, however pink firemen were a bizarre side effect, and epitomise the quality that makes Lee’s work so extraordinary.


The community aspect could be viewed as both a strength and a weakness.
With work of this nature you are always treading a fine line between inclusion and exploitation, and I was slightly uncomfortable with the obvious parallels between the Lockwood service users and their ‘reincarnation’ as sheep. Whilst by no means central to the work this still needs to be addressed.


On a more practical note, the logistics of staging the event presented the usual last minute hurdles and inevitable compromises, but none of which detracted from the success of the project as a whole. The unique mixture of charm and bullying somehow managing to bring out the best in the diverse group of individuals. Bystanders were not tolerated and soon found themselves assimilated.
At no point did I find myself doubting the integrity of Lee’s work, and her practice of honest simplicity saw none of the ‘set dressing,’ which often pads out weaker, less sincere events.


Quarry 2 was unquestionably worthwhile, with the full subtlety of the work only becoming evident on later reflection.


Peter Ockenden


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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Tue 04 Jul 2006 04:16 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
This is a very helpful observational whilst relatively subjective response to the project and is much appreciated.
The point about the service users and the sheep is very sensitive, in this work and the lockwood project www.lockwoodartists.org.uk the service users have a lot of input to the projects and the hierarchy that is often evident when artists are working with disabled groups is minimal (as you know). The artists and groups worked with are seemingly empowered by incorporating their ideas and actualising them, seeing them happen on a large scale, and to be presented with high quality materials and professionals (documentation etc.).
Unfortunately it is often that projects incorporating minority groups do use them as instruments to achieve funding and keep projects going, and that work with people with disabilities and young people often utilises cheap and cheerful methods to show the work (usually due to lack of resources), the work is not often shown in art spaces and is limited to community centres etc. (nothing wrong with community spaces: fantastic way to present the work to varied audiences, and I hope this project will too, but also that it will be shown in gallery spaces to help bridge these gaps between community and contemporary / 'professional' practices).
The firemen were also used as instruments if you look at it in that way, so your comment about the bullying is interesting: maybe there is always a slightly darker way to interpret an activity whether it was the intention of the work or not.
I will have a read of your 'review / report..?!' again soon and respond in more depth.
Thanks and best wishes,
Lee
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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by Anonymous on Thu 06 Jul 2006 06:56 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
When a fellow artist told me about this landscape art and its aims I was very excited by the concept.


However, having seen the cliff and sheep and more importantly the reaction on this website and in the local papers I am hugely disappointed by its failure to meet its published aims. Whilst I applaud Lee's intentions in promoting debate about land use, unfortunately the artist has fallen into a common trap whereby the concept and practice has swamped the purpose of the art. In other words there is more interest, if that's the right word, in the physical aspects of the art than in the underlying message or spirit.


In the past most artists learnt this lesson in the privacy of their own studios. Unfortunately when "art" such as this is perpetrated on such a large and public canvas, particularly at public expense, it tends to do a dis-service to those that truly understand the power of their art yet struggle to contain it within the confines of mere mortal dimensions.


Can I suggest, Lee, that you and your colleagues might really study a tree or large rock non-stop for 48 hours, almost without blinking, as I did when a young artist, and I'm sure you will come out of this experience with a stronger understanding if the true sprit of art which will serve you all in good stead for future life.


God bless,


CJD
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Re: Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Thu 06 Jul 2006 08:53 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Dear CJD,
Thanks for your comment, I am interested to see what anyone else thinks of this.
The work is continueing to highlight issues of land use, legislation control and abstract senses of ownership which are the aims of the work and more so.
I am glad that you have noticed the importance put on process / practice and concept being that if calling my own practice anything it would be conceptual and process based, so that's great, the process is always considered as important as the result and this work, including your mail and my reply is all part of that process.
I will have a think before replying about the spirit of the art, but would like to let you know that there are several years of studio based as well as outdoor art projects contemplating time and place prior to this one so it is not out of the blue or without time spent thinking and looking. That is speaking for myself, though I also have every confidence in my colleagues practical as well as emotional abilities and engagement.
This particular piece has to be large in scale and public to do what it set out to do and is continueing to do, though also believe that small scale artworks can also have strong effect and would never limit myself to large scale visible projects.
More soon and best regards,
Lee
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Re: Quarry:2 event
by Anonymous on Thu 06 Jul 2006 10:26 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Lee,


I've been developing my own underground, experimental art based on collaborative exchanges with other artists, so am interested in the vibes from your quarry. Where is Betchworth, Surrey by the way?


My method involves breaking down the preconcepts of what art is, particularly in both temporal and spatial dimensions (though not both at the same time obviously; I just know you'll understand why having seen what you've done).


Can't carry on now cos I need to keep movin. More later.


Fuzz
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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by Anonymous on Fri 07 Jul 2006 08:19 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Dear Fuzz,
That's an interesting mail, thanks. I'd like to hear more about your art. Have you seen the research currently underway as an exploration into post autonomy (PA art practice) by David Goldenburg in collaboration with others? You can google it quite easily and I am sure it will be of interest to you.
I am a bit blogged out by now but will write more next week.
Best wishes,
Lee
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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Mon 10 Jul 2006 02:58 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Hi again Fuzz,
Betchworth is in Surrey: near Dorking and Reigate, nearish Leatherhead: Junction 9 M25.
When I replied last week was a bit tired and thought you might be something to do with the PA thing but now think maybe not..
I don't understand why not temporal and spatial at the same time? Are they not relative to each other, so you couldn't investigate one without the other?
Hope you had good moving(s),
Lee
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Re: Quarry:2 event
by emily tull on Sun 09 Jul 2006 03:43 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
it really annoys me when people are still caught up in their notion that you are 'graffiting' on the landscape. To me what the project has done is heigthen the natural beauty of the landscape and has reminded people again of these particuar features which over time we have taken for granted and forgotten about. The colours are amazing and as for the sheep, i love them, if only i could go pass fields generally and see sheep like those!!!
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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Mon 10 Jul 2006 02:48 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Hi Emily,
Glad you like the work. I got a bit annoyed too, and also quite exhausted by it all but I guess it's all part of it and the complaints seem to have faded with the fuschia! It's been a bit tough for myself and Surrey County Arts VAO dealing with relative abuse the first week or two following the Q:2 event and has also raised our awareness of support structures that should be in place when working on public projects to deal with the extra work that responses create. It's also highlighted the pressures put on artists before, during and after realising projects: jumping through hoops and being a punch bag or sounding board for the disgruntled is no myth and seems to be part of the remit if commited to working 'with' a community.
Happily there is now more of a focus on the actual meaning of the work and more forward thinking talk which is a great next stage as well as a great relief!
Cheers,
Lee
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Re: Quarry:2 event
by Anonymous on Tue 11 Jul 2006 06:47 AM PDT  |  Permanent Link
Hi Lee,
Just wanted to send in some positive feedback after having seen the negative comments in the local paper. Thank you for doing something so different, that has made people more aware of their surroundings. Perhaps if the public realised how much trouble you have taken to ensure that your project was environmentally friendly, they would be less likely to criticise.
Good luck to you
Lin
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Re: Re: Quarry:2 event
by leesimmons on Wed 12 Jul 2006 08:20 AM PDT |  Profile |  Permanent Link
Hi Lin,
Thanks for your mail, I'm glad you found something you like in the work. I just had a look in the paper and agree that the comments are uninformed about the method and reasoning within the work.
Most negative comments have stopped by now as people can see the pink is fading as predicted and have accessed information available about the process but I guess one or two the other way are to be expected.
Thanks again and best wishes,
Lee
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