Anorak

17 JANUARY – 23 MARCH 2019. SPACE Mare Street Anna Chrystal Stephens’ practice can be understood as an exploration of sustainable living strategies in both rural and urban locations. Specifically, an examination of the tension between survival and leisure as illustrated through popular holiday activities such as camping and canal boating. On the one hand, these nature-based activities can be understood as performances of ancient skills and knowledge, while on the other, they are a way for people to escape from the highly prescribed space of a city. Camping, especially, is a way into complex themes such as a yearning for a connection to the earth, nomadic living, economies of choice, the housing crisis, displaced migrant communities and sites of protest. Historically used for carrying goods on the narrow canals, the contemporary canal boat is emblematic of both low-cost housing and leisure cruising. Situated within the British waterways, these spaces of off-grid living simultaneously meander through the rural and the urban. Following her fixation with DIY manuals and knowledge exchange, Stephens actively equips herself with the basic skills necessary to survive within different living situations; she is currently residing on a canal boat. Stephens brings the complexities of inhabiting these land and waterscapes into the gallery through a series of sculptures and photographic images. In the centre of the room stands a structure that appears functional and nostalgic. Inspired by 1970s canvas tents this multicoloured device comes complete with changeable curtains displaying seasonal edible plants. To fabricate Stern Hood, Stephens’ worked with a professional narrow boat hood-maker, extending her commitment to skill sharing and collaboration. The larger-than-life, many-pocketed, tent-like Utility Cloak contains kit objects and camping hacks, from fantasy survival gadgets to fire starting implements.