Deptford Church Street, London
Deptford Church Street, London: Deptford Plinths, Studio Weave
Year
In development
Client
fereday pollard for Tideway
Artist
Studio Weave
Service
Commission Management
Location
Deptford Church Street, London
A series of permanent commissions for Deptford Church Street
Studio Weave has been commissioned by Tideway to create a series of artworks for this historic site in Deptford.
The ‘cultural meander’ or heritage theme for the East section of the tunnel in the Heritage Interpretation Strategy is ‘The Shipping Parishes – Gateway to the World’. Within this heading, the site-specific narrative for Deptford Church Street has an association with Mary Lacy, whose 18th century memoirs describe her life as a mariner and naval shipwright whilst disguised as a man under the adopted name William Chandler. Mary’s biography highlights issues of gender identity. Contemporary activists, such as Mary Wollstonecraft, campaigned for female education and gender equality. Lacy’s story is re-emerging as a valued aspect of Deptford maritime heritage, whilst Wollstonecraft set out the philosophical arguments (e.g. her 1792 Vindication of the Rights of Woman) that remain an inspiration for modern campaigners.
Studio Weave take the story of Mary Lacy as a starting point for considering the values or common virtues that characterise contemporary Deptford and propose a series of four metal plinths as markers of them, which will reflect the ‘everyday values’ of Deptford. The plinths will bear a plaque with their respective ‘value’, and each ‘value’ also affects the shape and design of its respective plinth.
“Contemporarily, the form, function and nature of the plinth has been questioned; along with the role of public art more broadly – and particularly the symbolic celebration of selective historic figures. ”
Historically, symbols of collective idolatry – gods, leaders and high achievers – have been enlarged to inhabit public space, to celebrate the grand ideologies they were associated with. And traditionally, the ‘plinth’ elevated these works above the ground, removing the artwork – and therefore the ideas it symbolised – from the mortal realm: a separative vehicle attributing a common value
Studio Weave subtly reconfigure the hierarchies inherent to the traditional plinth and propose a newly emergent ‘plinth’ as a relational object in itself. The plinth remains a vehicle associated with value, but now hosting an openness to imagination and interpretation. And where public sculptures on plinths were often accordingly in centralised locations in heroic formal planning: for Deptford Church Street, Studio Weave propose to position the four plinth artworks as modest occupiers of space – amongst trees, perched near a bench, or resting in a meadow - recognising their value as a part of the everyday.
The ‘everyday values’ were identified through consultation with the community held at Deptford Lounge to contribute their ideas on the ‘what values would you like to see celebrated in Deptford’. The discussion covered a great spread of highly specific objects, places and people – typically personally significant to the individual contributors. However as conversation unfolded, a range of ‘value themes’ emerged which began to articulate the key principles of this cross-section of Deptford residents, commonly shared amongst the majority of participants.
01: Heritage:
written: “For Considering Our History”
Including historical events, artefacts, stories and consequences.
02: Resilience:
written: “Dead Bolshie”
Including spirit, togetherness, support, passion and fight.
03: Variety:
written: “It’s Complex”
Including diversity, individuality, expression, visibility.
04: Liveliness:
written: “Good Spirit”
Including vibrancy, energy, inventiveness, positivity.
These values have informed how the designers have developed the artworks for the site (Crossfield Open Space). Each value has been designated its own plinth – dedicated by the inclusion of a plaque bearing the text.
The nature of the characteristic has influenced the form (for instance ‘It’s Complex’ is the most complex of the works, ‘Good Spirit’ the most aspiring) and arrangement of the plinths. These will be integrated into the new landscaping at entrance points to the site, within the trees and provide informal seating for views out of the site. ‘For Considering our History’ is located at the apex of the site near to St. Joseph’s Primary School; ‘Dead Bolshie’ is also at a key entry point; ‘It’s Complex’ is located on the grass where it might form a gathering point; and ‘Good Spirit’ is located in the tree canopy, creating a marker within the space.
For more information on the site’s history see Tideway’s Heritage Interpretation Strategy.
“Studio Weave subtly reconfigure the hierarchies inherent to the traditional plinth and propose a newly emergent ‘plinth’ as a relational object in itself. ”
About the designer
Studio Weave is a multiple award-winning architecture practice based in London. They balance a joyful, open-minded approach with technical precision to create a diverse body of work in the UK and abroad for public, private and commercial clients. They value idiosyncrasies in creating a sense of place, from the characteristics that make somewhere unique to the niche skills of people with a connection to the project. They aim to harness the strengths of each project and its team to create something distinctive and of exceptional quality.
Studio Weave’s work has been acknowledged by a number of awards including the RIBA awards where Ecology of Colour won South East Building of the Year 2013, the Architectural Review’s International Emerging Architecture Awards, the Civic Trust Awards where The Longest Bench won the Special Award for Community Impact and Engagement, and AJ Architecture Awards 2018: Project of the Year for Woodland Classrooms at Belvue School.
See: www.studioweave.com
For more information on the project see: www.tideway.london