Notice

Artist Imogen Cloët worked with local people, families and our Age UK Gardening Group to create ‘Notice’, a new art installation for Woodhorn Museum.

‘Notice’ shares local people’s hopes for the environment through sound, imagery and text. Over 300 people contributed their thoughts and ideas to the project, many of which you can see, read and listen to in the installation.

This new work has been inspired by the iconic Mining Banners and hand-painted colliery notices on display at the museum. Elements of this installation, including the ‘hope’ slogan banner scroll and hand-painted notice, connect this new artwork to the mining heritage of our site, collections and communities.

“I was drawn back again and again to the bright colours, theatricality, bold typography, curling natural motifs and positive language of the Banner Ramp. The banners seem particularly resonant in the current times of environmental and political unrest, protest and activism. I found them powerful and uplifting with the idea of hope for the future captured in each one.” Imogen Cloët

The artist chose to create work for the former Tanky Engine Shed and Cage Shop at Woodhorn as it was originally a place where essential colliery equipment was maintained and repaired. The installation invites us to ‘notice’, maintain and repair our natural environment, continuing the historic purpose of this building as a place of conservation. The space once noisy with the sound of industrial repair is now full of voices and bird song recorded in and around the Woodhorn site and local area.

The materials and methods used in the installation, including steel and welding, refer to Woodhorn’s industrial heritage, whilst the wildflower window boxes and benches reflect the natural heritage of Northumberland.

’Notice’ refers to the past, reflects present concerns and reveals future hopes for our environment.

Visitors are invited to sit down, relax and reflect in this beautiful and thought provoking space over the summer months.

Imogen Cloët and Museums Northumberland would like to thank everyone who contributed their thoughts and ideas to the project including our museum visitors, Northumberland Miners’ Picnic guests and Age UK Gardening Group. The artist would also like to thank collaborators Kit Haigh, Alex Richardson (Mango Signs), Nick Williams, Bethan Maddocks, Arctic Fabrications, Michael Gray Signs, Chris Tindall, Derek Farrell and Museums Northumberland staff Mark Wright, Anne Moore, Charlie Barron, Liz Ritson and Paramjit Khaira for their help in creating the installation.

‘Notice’ was made possible with funding from Arts Council England and Northumberland County Council.