Cedar Court, Downpatrick
Title of Work: Signal Messages From the Homes
Facilitating Artist: Colin McGookin
During my art college years (1976-1981) I focused on the imagery of flags and banners. This research continued into my subsequent career as an artist and arts facilitator. In various projects I used the emblems and materials of flags and banners as the motifs in my artworks. In a summer scheme at Harmony Hill Arts Centre in Lisburn in 1991 I facilitated a ‘Tall Ships Race’ inspired by the huge event of 90+ tall ships visiting Belfast and Cork that year. The young participants and staff built and decorated several cardboard and willow tall ships and in a finale raced them across the lawn of the art centre. In my work with Arts Care I have used the motifs of banners and flags numerous times including a 2009 Tall Ships project now installed in the Downe Hospital. My last Art Care project before the 2020 lockdown was the creation of a large wooden Tall Ship with in and out patients at the Down Hospital. I took this project home and with email feedback continued the creation of the ship. In summer 2020 my neighbour June Peoples had a relapse of cancer and went into the Ulster Hospital. With a terminal diagnosis she wanted to return home. I was now studying the language of signal flags and I learnt the signal alphabet and made a message for her “Welcome home June”. Her husband put the 3d artwork in their hallway for her return home. June passed away in August 2020.
The first message was added to the tall ship being made during my Arts Care Artist in Residence work, it was ‘Save Our NHS’. This led me to propose for my latest Here and Now project to gather messages from the older people I associate with including neighbours, my dad and the residents of Cedar Court in Downpatrick. I would translate and display their messages as signal flags. As the lockdown progressed what was intended as a participative project with the residents, was instead largely carried out by me. This is the resultant artwork.
