Projects

REINVENTING THE LANDSCAPE

No Man's Land
About this project…

My latest research and development project explores the theme: Reinventing the Landscape. Through the identification of potential urban and industrial locations around the city, I intend to use the city of Derby as my starting point. Why Derby you may well ask? Well, I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Derby over the last few years, studying Fine Art at the University, and more recently based there again at Banks Mill Studios on Bridge Street for the arts residency, The Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award. Derby is of course part of my home county of Derbyshire, and is home to a fantastic creative community which I am proud to be part of, so I feel like I have a personal link on lots of levels. Derby is now widely established as the city of invention, due to links with historical figures known to be pioneers of the industrial revolution, so the title of the project has a particular significance to this as a place and a starting point for this work. In my early research I aim to reference museum archives, public documentation and city planning records and public documentation such as personal photographs, images and text (such as stories and poetry).

During the next eight months I aim to instigate new ways of collecting and developing source material to inform larger scale works through exploration of new approaches, techniques and materials. Ultimately I aim to use this research and development phase as a catalyst for informing a new body of work of cultural significance for exhibition, by exploring a broader theme to create new starting points for the work, giving more contextual relevance, encouraging wider engagement, participation and potential collaboration.

This project does not merely seek an opportunity to exhibit work, but has an intention to make real connections with those who engage with it, and I hope, will provide a mutually beneficial experience. These connections could enable me to draw on real life experiences, memories, nostalgia, dreams and aspirations and potentially instigate dialogue which may not ordinarily take place. A contextual anchor allows audiences to make a connection and increases the possibility of being able to engage with art beyond an aesthetic level, and this is the added value I feel this project aims to develop.

This is where YOU (the public) come in - I’d like to connect with people living or working in Derby (both past and present), right from the early stages of this project and throughout, offering an opportunity to participate. You can get involved in a contributory capacity or you can take part in a more creative way, or both if you wish. Two practical workshops targeting both a younger and older age group will be held during the project to encourage your involvement and may potentially be repeated should additional opportunities present themselves.

About the Workshops:

  • THE LURE OF THE CITY A combination of conversation, public consultation, and also an opportunity for creative response, this practical workshop will encourage participation of older people and involve curation of early project discoveries.


  • REINVENTING THE LANDSCAPE Encouraging participation of young people (approx. aged 16 – 24) this practical based workshop will invite artistic contributions on a theme of visions for the future.


(Watch this space for more details of where and when these will take place.)

Want to get involved? … here’s how…

I am especially interested in how the landscape is changing and I'm focusing on the city of Derby. If you’ve lived here any length of time, you’ll have noticed it too. So I’m looking for EVIDENCE!

  • Send me pictures or stories about changing places around the city that mean something to you

  • Make suggestions of changing places of interest that I could be looking out for

  • Come along to one of my workshops and help explore this theme (full details of workshops will be posted soon)



I’m contactable in the following ways:
Email kerripratt@ymail.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/reinventingthelandscape
Twitter @Kerripratt

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