...and the River flows on

'...and the River flows on' is a community art project based in Birkenhead during 2015/16. Working in pop-up spaces, and at the Williamson Art Gallery, the project is a collaboration between Wirral Methodist Housing and Wirral Mind, the Spider Project and residents of Lee Court and Fellowship House alongside the YMCA. Taking its inspiration from the River Mersey, it's geological formation, the historical import and export of goods alongside the future regeneration of the Birkenhead docks, the workshops will culminate in the siting of 6 community art panels displayed within Fine Art metal frames to form 3 sculptural interventions within the landscape. Cathy Warren / Producer & Facilitator Jill Carter / Project Administrator & Community Engagement Officer at Wirral Methodist Housing Association Robyn Woolston / Lead Artist James Bowman / Assistant Artist Fiona Bithell / Lifelong Learning Artist Core Artistic Team: Julie Dodd, Rachel Howard, Marie Louise Williams, Christine O'Reilly Wilson and Pamela Sullivan (Resident Artist at the Williamson Art Gallery) As part of our engagement process we actively work with volunteers from across the visual arts sector and from within the local community.

[robynwoolston]

‘…and the River flows on’ (2017) 

Lead Artist: Robyn Woolston http://www.robynwoolston.com

Project Blog: http://andtheriverflowson.tumblr.com

Fabricators: Benson Signs http://www.bensonsigns.co.uk

Urban Design & masterplanning: Ian Parkinson http://www.parkinsoninc.co.uk

Last week saw the installation, as part of the Wirral Waters development of the docklands in Birkenhead, of a project which has engaged with over 300 community members over the last 1.5 years.

It takes inspiration from the River Mersey, it’s geological formation, the historical import and export of goods, the dockers and manufacturing history alongside the future regeneration of the Birkenhead docks.

Our project partners have been drawn from a wide demographic of collaborators including:

PEEL 

Wirral Waters

Wirral Methodist Housing

Wirral Mind 

YMCA

Pop-up workshop attendees

Summer school workshops

The Spider Project

The Friends of the Williamson Art Gallery

Wirral Museums (renamed in November 2016 as the Williamson and Priory Friends)

The Williamson Art Gallery

Residents of Lee Court supported living, Holyoke

Arts Council England

The panels are situated adjacent to a plot which will house a new nursing college for the region and within an area that will soon be landscaped with lighting, seating and planting. 

Note:

Photo three (above) shows Fred Biddulph, a former sign-writer who learnt his trade on the dockside, and who contributed to the lettering on the panels. Standing opposite him is Julie Davies - Team Leader for Wirral Independent Living and Learning (Panel 6 - Lee Court)

[andtheriverflowson]

2017 is set to be a joyous one for this project with the official unveiling of the ‘...and the River flows on’ sculptural installations at Birkenhead docks. In the meantime here are some details of the sculptures to whet your appetites prior to the big celebration announcements. 

[robynwoolston]

Happy New Year! We’re busy working towards our Spring opening (dates announced shortly) but for now here’s an up-to-date installation shot for the ‘…and the River flows on project’ in Birkenhead.

Working in pop-up spaces, and at the Williamson Art Gallery, the project is a collaboration between Wirral Methodist Housing and Wirral Mind, the Spider Project and residents of Lee Court and Fellowship House alongside the YMCA. Taking its inspiration from the River Mersey, it’s geological formation, the historical import and export of goods alongside the future regeneration of the Birkenhead docks, community workshops will culminate in the siting of 6 community art panels displayed within Fine Art metal frames to form 3 sculptural interventions within the landscape.

Further info: http://andtheriverflowson.tumblr.com

Project dates: 2015 - 2017

Lead Artist: Robyn Woolston

[andtheriverflowson]

Fabrication update from Benson Signs

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The ...and the River panels on their way into @Bensonsigns for the next stage of their journey.

[andtheriverflowson]

The ‘...and the River flows on’ project team have been busy working behind the scenes over the last few months. We’ve been working with Landscape Architects, Designers and our Sign Manufacturers to hone in on the finer details of our installation. Today saw the test holes being dug for the Geotechnical Survey! 

[andtheriverflowson]

Thanks to artist Fiona Bithell and artists @SpiderWirral for this wonderful panel about the Birkenhead docks and dockers - full of emotion and resonance.

[andtheriverflowson]

Hannah drawing some lovely figures on the YMCA panel

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Foxy working on the YMCA panel

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Details from Wirral Mind’s panel. Work is still underway.

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Some of the guys from the second workshop at the YMCA. The design was really coming along!

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This is Tracey who is keen to draw any buildings that we have on the YMCA’s panel

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We have been busy at the YMCA doing some preliminary sketches. This is a brilliant drawing by Donna, the first drawing that Donna has ever produced, she has since taken away pencils and paper to develop her skills.

[andtheriverflowson]

More progress with the dockers panel by Fiona Bithell and the art group at Spider today.

[andtheriverflowson]

Images of Birkenhead docks before and after WW1 - research for the final panel of six

[andtheriverflowson]

Work continues on the ‘dockers’ panel with Fiona Bithell and the Spider Project

[andtheriverflowson]

At work on the ‘dockers’ panel with artist Fiona Bithell and the group from Spider Birkenhead.