Australian artist Lachlan Brown has come to town to help create a giant musical instrument that will be at the heart of an exciting summer programme of arts activity in the borough.
Creative Explorers is an exciting collaboration between Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC), Warwickshire Country Council (WCC), arts organisations Imagineer and Artichoke, plus international and local artists alongside residents and community groups.
This summer will feature an exciting series of free events celebrating community creativity across the borough including Imagine Bamboo Nuneaton and Bedworth.
As part of this programme, NBBC, WCC, Cave Urban Imagineer, and residents of The Hub at Hill Top are delighted to be working together on a community-built sound installation devised with local people using locally-sourced bamboo arranged as a giant outdoor musical instrument.
Lachlan, from arts group Cave Urban in Australia, will be working with local artists and community groups to help begin the construction of this ambitious project, having led similar projects Down Under.
The project as a whole invites people to respond to the intriguing question: ‘What is it important for us to remember here?’
Cllr Tim Jenkins, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Communities and Health at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, said:
“Creative Explorers is a unique opportunity for local people to get involved in something new and exciting in their community.
"Lachlan is very welcome here, and we really look forward to seeing what this amazing programme creates.”
Project lead Jane Hytch from Imagineer said:
“We are so lucky to have Lachlan and Cave Urban working with local artists and residents on this project.
“The project is all about exploring what is important to local people about the place they live and, above all, should be great fun for people to take part in.”
Lachlan added:
“It is great to be here, the artwork itself is so exciting, called ‘Mengengang’, the name is from Bahasa Indonesian and means ‘in memory of’.
“The artwork was originally devised by Cave Urban as a memorial artwork.
“Bamboo resonators convey vibrations into the ground that the piece is rooted in, they actually create music.
“We know music evokes memories and other worldliness, and we are keen to explore how this artwork impacts places and audiences in different parts of the world.
"We want to use this to link people, audiences, and participants, back to nature and the land they live in.”
Note to editors
- Details of a programme of cultural activities taking place across Nuneaton and Bedworth, including Imagine Bamboo Bedworth, will be announced in June.
- Lachlan Brown is available for interviews. Please contact NBBC communications team with any requests.