We’re delighted to share a new series of artworks displayed on the exterior of Nuns Way Pavilion in Kings Hedges, Cambridge. Created in collaboration between Kettle’s Yard, artist Anna Brownsted and a group of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people over the past six-months, the artworks will welcome visitors to this much-loved community venue in North Cambridge. The artworks were created as part of a project called Here/Now.
The young people involved in the project are in care or care leavers supported by Cambridgeshire Virtual School. Here/Now provided an opportunity for the young people to get to know Cambridge better through exploring the city and developing a greater connection through creativity. Working with Cambridge-based artist Anna Brownsted, the young people thought about things they value being here and now in Cambridge today. They created a meal together, played games, captured photographs, created drawings and shared their thoughts about their experiences.
During the project those involved visited both the Kettle’s Yard House and the current exhibition, The Liberty of Doubt, by artist and activist Ai Weiwei. They were inspired by how Jim Ede, founder of Kettle’s Yard, and Ai Weiwei could share their individual stories and experiences and create beautiful artworks and spaces.
These experiences inspired this series of new artworks created in collaboration with Anna Brownsted. The group shared their feelings of support, welcome, connection and camaraderie with the local community through their creativity. Inspired by a universal ‘language’ of hands and gesture, they shared their feelings in the images created. The use of layered and repeated hands in the images also reflects on the landscapes of their countries of origin and their individual journeys to the UK.
The artworks at Nuns Way Pavilion will be displayed long-term at the site. A short film made by Anna Brownsted with the young people entitled Sunshine England will be screened at Kettle’s Yard in the Clore Learning Studio on 23 and 24 April 2022.
The project has been commissioned by Kettle’s Yard and funded by Cambridge City Council with support from Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge Regional College, North Cambridge Community Partnership and Arts Council England.
