My residency at Grove Projects ran from 9-14 July 2018 with an exhibition on the final day. It was a wonderful opportunity to create new work in a different environment. The residency programme is run by Barbara and David Dougan. Thanks to them for inviting and hosting me.

David has recently published ‘Bury St Edmunds the town built on a myth’ which analyses the legend of St Edmund, the history of the Abbey and the town. This and a tour of the town including the Abbey ruins were my introduction to the location.

This drawing takes a text about Abbot Samson from David’s book. Samson was elected Abbot in 1182 and kept a book of accounts called the Kalendar for raising rents from local people. The drawing  includes contemporary details, the view of a local park, a patio table and a beetle that fell on my head one morning.

I also consulted ‘Opus de Miraculus Sancti Edmundi’ by Abbot Samson, originally in Latin but with the miracles helpfully glossed into English by the editor. The miracles of St Edmund were part of the Mediaeval  belief system and were used as propaganda for the Abbey. I’m interested in current belief systems and propaganda and their oppressive effects.

I did drawings and took photographs in the town on market day and combined them with text about the miracles, especially in this drawing, ‘Marketplace of Miracles’.

Photos of other drawings and the exhibition installation below: