Tatton Park Biennial 2012: Flights of Fancy
Date uploaded: May 2, 2012
Tatton Park Biennial 2012: Flights of Fancy
12 May – 30 September
Charbel Ackermann, Brass Art, David Cotterrell, Tom Dale, Simon Faithfull, Tessa Farmer, Jem Finer, Leslie Forbes, Rebecca Geldard, Olivier Grossetête, Hilary Jack, Juneau Projects, Dinu Li, Aura Satz, Cherry Smyth, Sarah Woodfine and Open Competition winners Pointfive and Ultimate Holding Company.
The human urge to reach for the impossible and aeronautical innovation are the twin sources of inspiration behind Flights of Fancy, Tatton Park’s third biennial of contemporary art.
Biennial curators Danielle Arnaud and Jordan Kaplan of Parabola have invited artists and writers to respond to the themes in the context of the National Trust’s Tatton Park in Cheshire, using the Park, Gardens and Mansion to display their works.
Jem Finer is creating a space flight simulation in a camper van; an ethereal inflatable head adorned with wings by Brass Art will appear to hover over the formal gardens and Olivier Grossetête’s magical, nonsensical bridge will be held aloft by helium balloons.
Charbel Ackermann will reference the legacy of Maurice Egerton’s experiments with radio in his installation, which will be sited in the trees of the Arboretum, while closer to the ground there will be the intriguing sight of a crash-landed flying saucer by Dinu Li and Juneau Projects’ severed aeroplane fuselage, home to cargo-cult devotees. David Cotterrell will be creating a visual depiction of data received from Jodrell Bank’s radio telescopes and Simon Faithfull will be showing a film made in Manchester Airport’s ‘Big Rig’, in which he stars as a commuter traveling in a burning jet.
Tatton Park has deep connections with early twentieth century flight: Maurice Egerton was a keen experimental aviator and friends with the Wright Brothers and, in World War II, allowed the use of Tatton as a training drop zone for over 60,000 troops. Tom Dale will be investigating the relationships between military and social conquest with his ‘culture bomb’, a new work using a 1950s British Thunderbird rocket as its starting point.
In addition, the Biennial’s Contact Programme will offer families, special interest groups and local schools opportunities to experience and participate in 'Flights of Fancy' through a series of exhibitions, workshops and events, as well as a downloadable audio guide.
Curators Arnaud and Kaplan say: “2012 marks our third Biennial as curators at Tatton Park. Since the event's inception in 2008, we have worked with the property, the National Trust and our partners to deliver an exceptional contemporary art project. 'Flights of Fancy' is the most ambitious edition to date, with over twenty artists and writers working to deliver major installations outdoors, site-specific films and a large scale engagement project, ‘The Contact Programme’. There will always be a tension between the nature of a listed site and the creation of new artworks that address its specifics. We welcome this tension and attempt to provide explanations and talking points for our audiences and participants.”
Tatton Park Biennial is a Core Event in the National Trust’s Trust New Art, a programme that supports the installation of contemporary art at National Trust properties.
Visitor information: Tatton Park Biennial 2012: Flights of Fancy
12 May - 30 September - www.tattonparkbiennial.org
For opening times and travel information: [email protected]
For information on talks and events and learning and access programmes visit: www.tattonparkbiennial.org
The 2012 Biennial is supported and promoted by the National Trust as a core event for Trust New Art. Other confirmed supporters include Arts Council England, Cheshire East Council, Henry Moore Foundation, Air Products, RDPE, Heritage Lottery Fund and Manchester Airport Group.
