If you were unable to view ‘Elsa’ in the recent exhibition ‘Leaving Home: A new setting for site-specific contemporary craft’, at the Contemporary Applied Arts, London which ended on the 31st May, for one week only ‘Elsa’ can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/97659590
‘Elsa’ stars is a short silent film, part of the site-specific work ‘They loved to breathe beauty, tradition and romanticism…”, originally made for the National Trust Property, Nymans. The film follows “Elsa”, a fictional character relative of the Messel family, invented and performed by Lucy herself. Elsa explores Nymans hoping to learn something about her family roots and heritage. As Elsa moves through the gardens, ruins and interior rooms she senses the presence and lives of her relations Maud Messel and Anne Countess of Rosse. The film uses the Nymans house and gardens as a film set, exposing the spaces within the property that the pubic don’t get to visit; such as the ruins of the Great Hall, or spaces which are cordoned off; like the Garden Hall where Elsa peers into Mauds’ sewing box. Elsa also takes a moment where the original staircase once stood.
Some of the vintage garments worn by Elsa in the film, were used as raw material in the garment woven sculpture installation. The film developed from Browns’ desire to select the vintage garment raw materials through the on-site wearing on location at Nymans.
Filmed on location at Nymans, West Sussex. February 2012. With thanks as always to the National Trust (Enterprises) Ltd, Paul Dutnall Junk TV and Unravelled Arts.
Elsa’s running time is 5min 42 sec. and can be viewed until the end of the longest day – Sunday 21st June…. Summer Solstice 2015!
Film Still – Elsa heading for the Entrance at Nymans, National Trust
Lucy Brown makes... 