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NEWS: Artists Announced for Ridges & Furrows Waddington

The NK Arts Partnership have today announced the artists selected to work with communities in the village of Waddington, Lincolnshire, as part of Ridges & Furrows Arts & Heritage trail project.

Artist duo Grennan & Sperandio were selected, following an open call out at the end of last year, to work on the Heritage Lottery supported project which aims to encourage communities in North Kesteven to learn about and celebrate the heritage of where they live.

Simon Grennan and Chris Sperandio run an international studio between north Wales and Houston, Texas. They have been working together, as Grennan & Sperandio, since 1990. Simon and Chris work across different media, and their projects have resulted in artworks using chocolate, television broadcasts and comics, as well as more traditional drawing, publishing and ceramics. Their artworks always aim to bring together people who have different life experiences, to participate in and contribute to the development of the work.

Simon Grennan will work closely with communities in Waddington alongside project historian Dave Reeves, to explore the heritage of the area through workshops, talks and events. The artists will be bringing residents stories and experiences to the fore and sharing creatively the distinct history of the village.

Grennan & Sperandio will also develop a permanent artwork for the village, following a successful bid to Arts Council England for Grant for the Arts funding by Waddington Parish Council. The final artwork which is hoped to be completed by autumn 2017, will form part of the planned Ridges & Furrows Arts & Heritage trail linking Sleaford with North Hykeham and passing through participating villages along the way.

Speaking on behalf of the NK Arts Partnership Lucy Lumb, artsNK Visual Arts Officer commented:

“We are delighted to have appointed Grennan & Sperandio for this commission. Their experience and the approach they outlined for working in Waddington gives us great confidence that they will deliver a fantastic project. People living, working or going to school in Waddington will have the chance to share what they think is special about this place, leading to new artworks that will reveal something of the unique character of Waddington – both past and present.

She added

“It is really exciting to have the opportunity to bring such new and dynamic arts experiences to the county. Arts Council funding allows us to continue to be adventurous ensuring North Kesteven remains at the cutting edge of rural arts practice.”

The Waddington stage of the project follows two successful Ridges & Furrows projects and events have already taken place at the end of last year in the village of Welbourn and North Hykeham town.

The current project in Waddington leads on from an initial research phase of the project for which photographer Jonathan Turner carried out a residency in Waddington in spring 2015. Turner documented the identity of the present day village through a series of photographic portraits of residents, as well as creating three historical photographic tableaux based on the Lincolnshire practice of ‘Ran Tan Tanning’.

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