Settling into Phoenix Brighton

I am slowly getting settled in at Phoenix Brighton and now getting my head into some new ideas and work. Below is my ‘new’ studio wall and some of the ideas I am currently working on.

Final work in situ. Shed Space Gallery Residency. Old Fire Station Gallery, Oxford 2016

A few photos of the final work in situ…Working live in a gallery is always full of surprises. I had some lovely unexpected conversations with gallery visitors during my two day shed space residency. These exchanges and visitors re-actions to an artist working in the gallery all at some level inform the work made in situ. Thank you to those of you who visited.

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Work made by Lucy Brown during Shed Space Gallery Residency. Arts at the Old fire Station. Oxford June 2016. Copyright – © Lucy Brown 2016

 

Gallery residency – Work in progress; Shed Space Exhibition 2016

Working with a knicker elastic warp stretched around the gallery architecture steel post and attached to the ‘shed space’ shed, I have been free fall weaving and un- weaving with a mix of nylon undergarments and stockings… starting with the basement foundations of the Former Lucas Underwear Factory building in George Street Oxford…

Above; Shed Space Exhibition. Old Fire Station Gallery Oxford. Left ‘Total Support’ by Lucy Brown

above; Warp in Progress. Lucy Brown. Gallery Residency. Shed Space Exhibition Old Fire Station Gallery Oxford

above left; Lucy Brown weaving in situ. Gallery Residency. Shed Space Exhibition Old Fire Station Gallery Oxford

above right; Back of the former Lucas Underwear factory building. Back of George Street Oxford. Lucy Brown. Research

Next weeks’ Artist Residency…… the things we lost in the fire…. ???

Just thinking through my forthcoming 2-day Gallery Residency as part of the Shed Space Exhibition at The Old Fire Station, Oxford. My current research has brought me to the former Lucas Underwear factory and its fire of 1965…. In 1965 The Old Fire Station would of still been active as a fire station… The Former Lucas Underwear Factory building still stands opposite the Old Fire Station in George Street, Oxford….. some thing to mull over….

 

I will be weaving in response to my research findings somewhere in the gallery at The Old fire Station on Friday 24 June & Saturday 25 June, 11am – 6pm. I am also leading a two hour workshop session on Saturday 25 June, 1pm – 3pm.

 

Shed Space continues until 2^nd July 2016 at The Gallery, Arts at the Old Fire Station (AOFS). 40 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AQ. Tel 01865 263990

For further information and booking please go to http://www.oldfirestation.org.uk/exhibit/shed-space/

 

‘All at Sea’ in situ – on-board The Ross Tiger Trawler, Grimsby until 2nd November 2014

Vintage suits used; Navy wool and polyester St Michaels – Pale blue linen, wool mix Fox of London – Green cotton velvet Burtons – Pure wool tweed Hardy Amies.

 

‘All at Sea’. 2014 Site specific work for The Ross Tiger Trawler, Grimsby.

‘All at Sea’ consists of four mock fishermen’s kit bags, reconstructed from men’s vintage suit jackets. These kits bags are placed on-board the Ross Tiger, within the fishermen’s sleeping quarters, below deck, using existing hooks and rails. The original construction of each suit jacket has been used as much as possible. Where this has not been possible reconstruction and re-stitching mimics’ original tailored jacket pattern construction and stitching.

In context, the kit bags act as links between the Grimsby fishermen’s very different shore and sea lives, drawing on the deckhands tradition of wearing their ‘coming on board’ and ‘going ashore’ suits. Grimsby fishermen’s Kit bags were taken on and off the trawlers after three days on land or three weeks at sea. Nicknamed the ‘three day millionaires’, Grimsby fishermen shopped in Freeman Street – known as Fishermen’s High Street – where there were tailors such as Gerald Baileys, John Collier, Alexanders and Burtons; and high street department shops like Marks and Spencer’s and Woolworths. ‘All at Sea’ uses vintage jackets from Burtons and Marks & Spencers, once in Freeman Street and also from tailors Fox and Hardy Amies, London, as the ‘three day millionaires’ would have been able to afford these brands. Like tailoring, fishing is a skilled job, just as working the ship is a skilled job.

Kit Bags carried personal items and up to four changes of clothing. As men were frequently unable to wash, a change of clothes was as good as it got. The amount of times they got changed depended on what type of trip it was. On a not so good trip, then as many times as they could – On a good trip, may not bother! Young lads hung around the quayside to carry the men’s kit bags from the taxi onto ship and from ship to taxi. The three weeks at sea and three days ashore could make for an unsettled existence. The kit bags become a metaphor for the ongoing fisherman’s transition between sea and land life.

The Ross Tiger herself holds and preserves the nostalgia for the Grimsby fishing industry.

research for Lace Works

Images on studio wall of inspired lace items from Nottingham Castle Lace Collections and photo documentation of women lace factory workers…