Horizons Performance
Horizons. 2022
Credit Kate Bowen ,Craig Wilkinson. Upstudios London
The idea for Horizons was formed in 2019 as a live performance work on Cullercoats Beach. It was in part shown at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art in 2021, with the display of five banners, as part of Sonia Boyce’s show ‘In The Castle of My Skin’.
At the mercy of the weather, the performance was also reliant on the good will of friends, old and new, to create this one, significant moment. We had less than a hour to practice and get cameras positioned before the sun began to rise at 6.58am.
Whilst setting up in the dark, the first performers began to walk down the slipway to the beach. The sea had retreated beyond the piers, exposing the large horseshoe bay. Paired together, the women cloaked themselves in the heavily pleated banners, the tar reflecting the brightening sky. In near silence the procession walked bare footed out across the bay.
Lined up, with backs against the sea we waited. As the sun began to appear, the women as one, raised the banners. Blocking the horizon until the sun had risen.
In this incredible, deeply emotional and unifying act the work brought together my ambition and hopes for the project. Highlighting past and present futures halted by gender, absent female histories and lost opportunities.
Thank you to the following stitchers, performers, and supporters
DAWN ADKIN DAWN ALLEN JOHN ALDER AUDREY ALLEN JO BATES KATHY BACKOVITCH ELLA BEECH ANNE BENNETT LOUISE BENNETT FRANCES BRADY NICOLA BROWN KATE BOWEN TRACIE BULLOUGH MARILN CAIN JULIE CASSELS SANDRA CHARLTON DONNA CHESHIRE SALLY CLARK SARAH CLARK CATHERINE COLLINS SUZANNE COMBE JACKIE CROSKERY KATHERINE DAVIES RAPAELLA DAVIES GAYNOR DRAKE JENNI EVANS LOUISE FABIAN LIZ FRY LUCY FOSTER DIANNE FORD ALISON GIBSON LOUISE GIBSON KELLY GILLAN CAROLINE GREGORIO FIONA HALE SYLVIE HARGREAVES DAWN HAYES LOUISE HAYES JOANNE HILL GEORGIE HIND OLIVIA HOGG REBECCA HOGG GEMMA HOOD TRISH HOLLINRAKE SUE HOPE CAROLIE HOY JILL HOY BEN HUGHES DANNY HUGHES STEVEN HURREL KAREN JEFF NATALIE JOLLY JILL KARADENIZ BRIDGET KENNEDY BETH LEE MAGGIE LATHAM BRENDA LOWRY DAWN LLOYD BLANDINE MARTIN CAROLE MCCOURT MARNIE MERRILEES LYNN MICHELSON CLAIRE MORTON FRANCES NAYLOR JUDITH NELLIST QUYNH NGUYEN DERRY NUGENT ANNE OLDHAM ANNE PAYNE BELINDA PAYNE EMMA PAYNE CHARLIE PAYNE MADDIE PAYNE TOM PAYNE ALICE PAYNE JACK PAYNE MANDY PRICE HELEN RICHARDSON PAT RICHARDSON PAUL RICHARDSON CHUTE ELAINE RILEY SALLYANN RITCHIE FIONA ROBERTSON LOIS ROBINSON CHERYL SAVAGE MALLORY SMITH RICHARD SMITHSON FRANCA STANNERS VIV STAPLEY TIA MARIA TAYLOR BERRY STEPH TAYLOR LINDSEY THOMPSON MICHELLE SALEM SHAMS FUND SONIA TURPIN CRISTINA TYLEY SUE VAUGHN CRAIG WILKINSON RACHEL WEDDLE HELEN WELFORD KELLY WHITE JACKIE WOOD LESLEY WOOD MICHELLE WOOD ESTELLE ZAUNER MAUGHAN