illuminations (2016-2017)

illuminations was a series of digital artworks and performances developed for and with a community heritage group seeking fresh approaches for the interpretation of and public engagement with the 14th Century medieval church of St Andrew in Heckington, Lincolnshire. Following several site visits and conversations with the heritage group, a group of creative practitioners spent three days on site making with and alongside each other. From this making and additional activities with the local schools and community, several digital artworks were developed that were displayed in a public exhibition and performance in April 2017. The intention was to provide new experiences that drew attention to and enriched the history and character of the building, and demonstrated its social and cultural, as well as spiritual, value.

I created several digital artworks within this project:

• Speculative Rood (with Allan T Adams) was an ‘analogue augmented reality’ piece, that revealed a recreation of the lost rood screen of the church through projecting a series of drawings exploring its form onto semi-transparent theatrical scrim suspended in the church. Watch a video about Speculative Rood here.
• Hidden Histories was a video installation, viewed through a keyhole in a door usually locked to visitors, which revealed historical details hidden from public view – graffiti on the spiral stairway to the bell ringing chamber. Watch a video about Hidden Histories here.
• Choir of Angels encouraged visitors to look up at the ceiling of the church choir and imagine what the carved angels there may have heard over the years. An iPad mounted in an ornate wooden pedestal was used to create a ‘digital mirror’ of the ceiling with interactive elements discoverable by rotating and tilting the screen.
• illuminations was six digital artworks placed within the church that were discoverable via a captive portal (public WiFi hotspot) placed in the church (where mobile phone data network coverage was poor). This included three 360-degree interactive images relating to Speculative Rood, Choir of Angels, and another location within the church. Whilst the captive portal is no longer in the church, you can view the illuminations portal content here.

I led this collaboration between researchers, designers, and artists at Newcastle University including Professor John Bowers, Professor Magnus Williamson and Dr Tim Shaw; creative agency Draw & Code, historical illustrator Allan T Adams, and the Heckington community.