Following an evolving period of research rooted in Berwick’s history, people and place, Cath Campbell presents her short film Implacable Beach, alongside artworks made in collaboration with the Berwick community.
Through her research, Cath became particularly interested in the experiences of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB), and the quiet, everyday ways soldiers supported their wellbeing during times of conflict. Writing letters home and engaging in sewing and patternmaking emerged as important, grounding activities – offering moments of reflection, care and connection.
Cath has also worked with local schools in Berwick, collaborating with groups of boys to introduce sewing as a creative and practical skill, while opening up conversations around self-expression. By drawing a line between historic practices and contemporary experiences, the project creates space to rethink ideas around masculinity, making and care – connecting past and present through shared activity.
The Intelligence of Flowers includes a new video ‘film poem’ installed at Maltings Hide Hill, alongside a 2 day open access community event to create a ‘Berwick Tablecloth’, inspired by the Mons Tablecloth held within the KOSB collection, and an in-conversation event – connecting heritage, making and wellbeing through a contemporary artistic lens.
Events
Artists in the KOSB collection
Join us to celebrate the culmination of Cath Campbell’s residency with a special in-conversation event between the artist, Susan Higgins of the KOSB collection and previous Berwick Shines artist Beth J Ross. They will discuss how contemporary artists have worked with the KOSB collection throughout the Berwick Shines programme. Monday 15 June 5.30pm - 7.30pm
The Berwick Tablecloth Embroidery Workshop
The Berwick Tablecloth is a two-day participatory embroidery workshop led by artist Cath Campbell, and inspired by the historic Mons Tablecloth held in The King’s Own Scottish Borderers Museum archives. Monday 15 & Tuesday 16 June | 11.30am - 4.30pm | Maltings at Hide Hill
The Intelligence of Flowers: Exhibition by Cath Campbell
Drawing on her research in the KOSB collection, artist Cath Campbell presents the culmination of her Berwick Shines residency with her new short film, Implacable Beach, alongside artworks made in collaboration with the Berwick community. Monday 15 – Friday 19 June | 11am - 4pm | Maltings at Hide Hill
Cath Campbell is known for her large-scale public installations, sculpture, drawing, film and participatory projects. Campbell’s practice is dominated by an ongoing enquiry into the status, meaning and fabric of architecture. Taking Modernism as a point of departure Campbell re-appropriates architectural imagery from memory or imagination to create works that reinvent our associations with the built environment.
Participatory projects include Cine Window Winsford, a community film project space in Winsford, Cheshire, UK, Mural Project, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and Kingsmeadow School, Gateshead. Commissions include Trellis, Cambridge University, (Cambridge, UK); 21 Arches instead of a gate, Walthamstow, (London, UK); Marathon, Yards Park (Washington DC, USA).