Godiva Awoke!

Its been a hectic few weeks but the Godiva Awakes carnival and celebrations at the end of July in Coventry were amazing. We trundled the huge tailors dummy with the Coat down the streets into Coventry’s Broadgate and offered the coat to Godiva – it was a nervewracking experience but the crowds were fantastic and appreciated the coat and the work of all the tailors. We were part of the carnival procession around the city that afternoon and it was wonderful to sit back and enjoy the moment after all the hard work over the years. The following days Godiva battled through heavy winds and rain and gradually made her way down to London powered by a 100 cyclists finally ending up at Waltham Town Hall. It was a surreal experience seeing this huge puppet and her entourage coming through the gates of the town hall!

During the first week of September the coat has been in exhibition at Westminster Hall as part of Arts in Parliament for London 2012. We sat and stitched tailors tacks on the first day and it was amazing to have visitors from all over the world add their stitch and talk about their sewing or non-sewing skills. As in Coventry, people were genuinely moved that they could participate and add a stitch – after all the very many new experiences making this coat, I think this has been one of the absolute highlights – a simple gesture of an invitation to stitch and people responding so postively.

All images by Andrew Moore except Godiva by the clock – I have tried to find the photographer but cannot find their name – thank you in advance for taking this great shot from the crowds!

Rainy days

In case this July rain doesn’t go away myself and the Coat team have made a 5 metre mac for Godiva this week. Its a copy of the coat pattern with a smaller seam allowance and made out of shiny new transparent PVC! I am hoping that as I have now made this it wont actually rain on the day! Fingers crossed.

Work Update

Been neglecting my blog so chance to catch up and post a lot of photos (evidence of busy-ness). My current commissions for Godiva Awakes and ECB are really hotting up now hence the absence from my blog. Been busy meeting other members of the huge team of makers and engineers for Godiva including Nick and Frank and the fabulous people at Artem who are charged with making the huge 6 metre Godiva marionette – it was a real privilege spending time with them in their studios and workrooms – traditional crafts and new technologies working side by side and lovely people to boot.

I have now screen printed all 36 mtrs of the top coat (silk dupion) with prints that feature images and text from the West Midlands industries both past and present – we had 17 screens in total and then I repeated the process in other colours for the lining fabric which I will be specifically working on – I actually just can’t wait to get sewing, BUT I have decided to be cautious and make a full size toile of the coat so will begin to cut the pattern and sew up the calico toile in next week or so. At the end of July we get chance to try the toile on Godiva – can’t wait (best take my bodger tool kit just in case of mishaps!)

Thanks to Coat Team for help and inspiration: Rachel Grant, Julie Johannides, Debbie Squires, Maggie Dunne and Adam Hussain.

ECB is my other commission – the new and fabulous Engineering and Computing Building for Coventry University – as well as attending the topping out ceremony in May, I have been sampling in my studio and now preparing to spend a few days back on site filming and collecting sounds – weather be good!

Other bits in between:
Couple of months back I did fab workshop on Handsworth High Street – ‘Curious about Craft’ with Craftspace and their mobile craft studio – it was a glorious sunny day and the people who came and stitched with me were truly wonderful.

Saw retrospectives of Susan Hiller (LOVE her work) at Tate Britain in April, Annie Albers at the Mead, Warwick Arts Centre and then the wonderful collection of Ben Nicholson and Alfred Wallis paintings in June at Compton Verney.

I also squeezed in a talk for the WI ladies from Harrow Barrow and Metherell in Cornwall – what a nice night that was – great chance to talk about my practice and they paid me in buttons and lace – the best currency in my eyes.

July sees another night of intrigue and infamy with the brilliant Pecha Kucha in Coventry. http://www.pkncoventry.posterous.com/
A chance for artists/designers/general peeps to talk about the curiosities of life in 20 slides no more. If you’re near Coventry, UK on the 26th July its at Taylor Johns and well worth a look. (For those in London – Cov is now accessible via Virgin Trains in under 56 mins)

godiva awakes

One of my current commissions is as the principal artist making the coat for Lady Godiva for the ‘Artist Taking The Lead’ project as part of the Cultural Olympiad for London 2012. I have completed my design and information about the surface and concept of the coat is detailed in this post. We have now also appointed 5 artists to assist in the realisation of the coat and will be working from November 2010 until January 2012.

Here is some information about the project by Imagineer Productions and my design.

The ‘Godiva Awakes’ project by Imagineer Productions will bring West Midlands icon Lady Godiva to life as a 10 metre high puppet that pushes the boundaries of carnival puppetry to new levels.

Built from aluminium and carbon fibre, she will be a moving, breathing monument – a potent symbol of equality, fair play and justice. Godiva will be dressed for her journey into the 21st century in a coat crafted by local artists and communities, chronicling the West Midlands’ industrial and engineering heritage.

A spectacular performance will mark the ‘awakening’ of Lady Godiva. Powered by 50 cyclists, she will join 2,000 dancers, actors, aerialists, musicians, pyrotechnicians and carnivalists in a processional performance. On the last day of Coventry’s Godiva Festival in July 2012, Godiva will leave the city and journey to London. She will seek sanctuary overnight at various towns along the route who will each welcome her in their own, distinct way. Finally she will arrive in London, her journey completed in time for the opening of London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Coat
Designed as a double-breasted, fitted, embellished long coat with a train. The coat is trimmed with a collar, buttons, sash belt, pocket and cuffs. Colours will be predominantly golds, yellows, and reds, reflecting that as ‘Godiva’ journeys to London; she is like a beacon though the urban towns and country roads. The skirt section at the back of the coat has a hidden pleat that reveals a shock of red fuchsia as Godiva takes a step. There is a panelled train at the rear, which covers the length of the cyclopaedia.

General detail
After a period of research, which will investigate memories and testimonies from people living and working in the West Midlands region, 5 commissioned artists will create various aspects of the coat sections, within their own particular practice or craft area.

The concept for the detail on the outer facing fabric of the coat and train is the notion of ‘palimpsest’, where text and images are consistently overwritten through time thus building up layers of narrative. Work on the coat and train will be screen-printed, some areas faded and barely legible, others vibrant and clear.

The Train
The panels that make up the train will be like pages from a book. The ‘pages’ will not form one particular narrative but will reference the stories from people who worked in the many industries, long lost trades and found crafts in the West Midlands region.

These ‘pages’ will be created using hand and machine stitches, appliqué, cutwork and print. They will feature vintage and emerging technical instructions and industry symbols. The pages will be joined together using couch stitch. The couch stitch yarn will contain messages and secret aspirations from the young people who participate in the ‘Godiva Awakes’ project.

Materials
The coat, train and trim will be in part re-purposed donated fabrics, found industrial and domestic ephemera – adhering to the ethos behind an energy efficient and sustainable Olympic Games.

Inner lining
The coat lining will document the ‘Godiva Awakes’ project. It will contain image and text details of the many technical languages used throughout the creation and realisation of the project by the principal artists and engineers.

Trim
The collar will feature intricate filigree work made from fine twisted wire; found buttons, beads, and nuts and bolts. The buttons will be made out of paper, wood and leather– each button will have an individual design in relief. There will be 4 individual cufflinks featuring a design that represents the glass works, which was a major industry in the West Midlands region throughout the years.

If you would like to donate any sewing threads, buttons, ribbons etc please contact me mail@juliaoconnell.co.uk Thank you

Imagineer Productions
Artists Taking the Lead