New Geographies: Tracing the East: An online programme from 1-31 May

New Geographies and the East Contemporary Visual Arts Network (ECVAN) are delighted to announce Tracing the East, a series of digital events and new audio-visual content that reflect on the traces of New Geographies.

New Geographies is a three year project which invited the public to nominate locations for ten site-specific art works across the East of England. 11 artists were commissioned to make ambitious new works. The commissioned artists were: Maria Anastassiou, David Blandy, Marcus Coates, Leah Millar, Cooking Sections, Ian Giles, Krijn de Koning, susan pui san lok, Studio Morison, Stuart Whipps and Laura Wilson. Each artist has worked closely on the realisation of their work with one of the New Geographies partner institutions.

The World After, David Blandy, 2020, installed at Focal Point Gallery, Southend

David Blandy’s “The World After”, is now online as part of ‘Tracing the East’. 'The World After' is a fable for the future set on post-industrial ‪Canvey‬ Wick, formerly the site of an oil terminal built in the early 1970s on the thamesestuary - the area is now one of the most bio-diverse areas of the UK through a process of re-wilding. With as many species per square metre as a rainforest, the site was designated as a site of specific scientific interest in 2005 and managed by the RSPB . The film was originally presented at Focal Point Gallery, Southend.

Over the month of May 2020, Tracing the East will be an opportunity to come together with the artists and ECVAN to experience some of the works that were produced and discuss and reflect on three key themes that emerged from the ten commissions: Population, Landscape and History.

Tracing the East will include: ten podcasts, five films, one soundscape, one audio walk and a live online game. There will also be two live performances and three live panel discussions discussing themes of Population, Landscape, and History. 

From 1 May 2020, material will be available to listen, browse and enjoy via the New Geographies website, here:

- The first 4 episodes from our series of podcasts from Studio Morison, Ian Giles, David Blandy & Maria Anastassiou
- Ian Giles’ Open Ramble East walking maps
- An audio walk by Cooking Sections, Moveable Estates, 2020
- Four films: David Blandy, The World After, 2019, Laura Wilson, Deepening, 2020, Stuart Whipps, Necessary Amendments: Homes for the People, 2019, Maria Anastassiou, Way My It Did I, 2019
- A poem by Mervyn Linford, The World After, 2019 

Three live panel discussions will take place on Zoom on 4 May, 14 May and 28 May. In order to view live, you will need to book before the event via Eventbrite. Please follow the link below the event. Instructions for connecting to the discussion via Zoom will be emailed to you before the event.

Online Panel Discussions

Population
4 May, 6–7pm
Discussing the changing communities of the East in relation to the LGBTQ+ community, immigration and population change, how do communities adapt and respond to change? With Maria Anastassiou, Ian Giles, moderated by Dr Amy Tobin, Curator of Exhibitions at Kettle’s Yard.

For bookings, click here.

Landscape
14 May, 6–7pm
From local to global, the effects of climate change in the landscape of the region is addressed through storytelling with David Blandy, Studio Morison (Heather), Cooking Sections, moderated by publisher, writer and curator, Sarah Shin.

For bookings, click here.

History
28 May, 6–7pm
How can the past that inform our future? The use of symbols and references to histories, storytelling and myths – with Laura Wilson, susan pui san lok, Marcus Coates, Leah Millar, Krijn de Koning, moderated by independent Curator, Kate Phillimore.

For bookings, click here.

Access

If you have questions about access needs, please email Wysing’s Head of Operations, Ceri Littlechild, on ceri.littlechild@wysingartscentre.org.