TATTERSHALL CASTLE TO BECOME VENUE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

AN EXHIBITION MARKING THE START OF A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND AND THE NATIONAL TRUST WILL TAKE PLACE AT TATTERSHALL CASTLE, LINCOLNSHIRE, FROM 8-23.AUGUST.2009. THE NEW INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT PROMOTING CONTEMPORARY ART IN HISTORIC PROPERTIES. THE 15th CENTURY MEDIEVAL CASTLE, OWNED BY THE NATIONAL TRUST, WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A SPECTACULAR CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY. TATTERSHALL CASTLE IS A UNIQUE, EARLY BRICK CASTLE KEEP, BUILT BETWEEN 1434-46 BY RALPH CROMWELL, LORD TREASURER TO HENRY VI, IT BECAME A HIGHLY VISIBLE SYMBOL OF HIS WEALTH, AN EXAMPLE OF MEDIEVAL 'BLING' AT ITS BEST, HENCE THE TITLE OF THE SHOW "HOUSE OF BLING". ARTISTS SARAH PRICE, GERALDINE PILGRIM, CATHERINE BERTOLA, LINDA FLORENCE AND KMA (KIT MONKMAN AND TOM WEXLER) HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO PRODUCE NEW ART WORKS INSPIRED BY THE BUILDING'S HISTORY. EACH ARTIST WILL WORK WITHIN A SPECIFIC AREA OF THE FIVE STORY MONUMENT INCLUDING THE CELLARS AND SURROUNDING GROUNDS. ALISON LLOYD, HEAD OF VISUAL ARTS AND LITERATURE, ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, EAST MIDLANDS SAID: "THIS IS A 'MUST SEE' EVENT IN LINCOLNSHIRE WITH INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ARTISTS. IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE ARTS COUNCIL'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST AND WE ARE THRILLED THAT THE EAST MIDLANDS IS AMONG THE FIRST TO BE INVOLVED.'
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBITION INCLUDE, A LARGE SCALE WORK CUT INTO THE LAWN IN FRONT OF TATTERSHALL'S CASTLE KEEP BY LINDA FLORENCE. THE STUNNING WORK WHICH INVOLVED HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF PAINSTAKING GRASS CUTTING WILL REVEAL ITSELF TO VISITORS AS THE Y CLIMB THE CASTLE'S STONE STAIRS TO GAIN THE BEST VIEWPOINT FROM THE EMBATTLED CASTLE ROOF. SQUADRON MEMBERS FROM RAF CONINGSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE HAVE PLEDGED THEIR SPARE TIME TO HELP COMPLETE THE COMMISSION. ALSO ON THE CASTLE GROUNDS, SARAH PRICE WILL CREATE A SECRET WILD GARDEN THAT IS INSPIRED BY A PERIOD WHEN THE CASTLE WAS ABANDONED AND OVERGROWN, BEFORE ITS RESCUE AND RESTORATION IN 1912.
REBECCA SPEIGHT, DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST EAST MIDLANDS SAID: "THIS IS TATTERSHALL CASTLE AS VISITORS HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE AND THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE VERY BEST OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN AN ICONIC HERITAGE BUILDING. WE ARE THRILLED THAT THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE AND ARCHITECTURE OF SUCH A DRAMATIC MEDIEVAL BUILDING CAN INSPIRE REALLY INNOVATIVE AND EXCITING CONTEMPORARY ART."