Landmark

“The aesthetic of heritage crafts, the warmth of their handmadeness, conjures up a shared consciousness and images of working together to serve our community.” Sean Williams, Our Favourite Places Landmark was a year-long collaboration between ceramicist Emilie Taylor and artist Christopher Jarratt, and a group of eleven people navigating their recovery or changes to their drug or alcohol use. An exploration into the healing effects of heritage crafts both for individuals and for a city post-pandemic. An exhibition, taking place during National Recovery Month, highlighted the importance of place, community and belonging and imbued the urban environment with the magic of folklore and the weight of tradition. Handmade flags and ceramic flasks, made using heritage craft techniques encouraged visitors to reflect on how our personal journeys are part of the fabric of the city. Digital reproductions of the flags were displayed on paper and paste billboards throughout the city during September, with whole site takeovers at Sidney Street and Castlegate. The posters could be scanned to gain deeper insight into the significance of each site, the exhibition and to find out about recovery services in the city. Maps, designed by Peter & Paul, showing all the locations, were available from the exhibition. To christen the new community Kiln Yard facility at Yorkshire Artspace, slip decorated Pilgrim Flasks were baked and then used to serve herbal elixirs in a medieval banquet. Staged beneath the flags, the feast was an opportunity to bring people together to think about recovery and our city. More information on this project can be found at: https://thisislandmark.co.uk/