Small World

Light emerges from darkness and a small world comes into being.

Commissioned by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2009. Created in response to the Isamu Noguchi retrospective exhibition. A two hour integrated workshop, installation and performance that aims to engage families with sculpture. Available to galleries, schools and art centres etc.

Noguchi ‘shaped the earth’ to form gardens and playgrounds evoking the wider world and cosmos. His sculpture ranged between earth and air, between the heavy density of stone and the weightless translucency of paper.
In Small World we relate these sculptural concerns to early Creation Myths when earth and sky first separated and distinct elements, earth, air, fire and water emerged out of chaos and combined to form rudimentary life.

From the process of manipulating and making with elemental materials such as clay, sand, wood and paper, small worlds and life forms evolve to become part of a larger animated and interactive environment.
We use low tech. light sources - torches, magic lanterns and overhead projectors and sound to transform simple objects, materials and cut-out shapes into the magical and mysterious.
Participants in the workshop seamlessly become players in a ritual of creation.
In a grain of sand.mp3 - an audio excerpt from the workshop

Tranquil but very meaningful. Liked how the workshop enhanced my understanding of the performance. Bridget Platts

Very moving, mezmerising, in the moment. I am an ardent non-artist yet they got me joining in & loving it. Amazing how they included everyone in the workshop & performance. Liz Wilson

We've had children from the local schools taking part & it has been a really magical experience.
Ruth Gamble Education & Outreach Officer, Huddersfield Art Gallery