Buddleia

“Buddleia … traverses Plymouth’s urban and marine landscapes and explores narratives of the imperial nature  of the city. The work is imbued with personal, silent moments that reflect Best’s experience of local issues and political tensions...”

During her year-long residency at Plymouth Arts Centre, Best has developed ideas and proposed projects that reflect  the changing environment of Plymouth. She has used different methods to develop her work, driven by an interest in  both local and collaborative practice. The process from which her art projects emerge, arrives from conversation and  observation, characterised by ‘events’ set fleetingly within a social or physical landscape. Best’s work observes the surrealism of the everyday while engaging with the specific situation. “

Three proposals were initiated and worked on with Paula Orrell during the residency at Plymouth Arts Centre 2006-2007. They were distilled and evolved into a short film, shot in 16mm – Buddleia.

A Buddleia Plantation… to plant Buddleia Davidii – common form on outdoor site where regeneration / development is planned, e.g. down at Millbay, or on the harbour front where new gallery is proposed. Size of tennis court or more, depends which site available. Idea that plantation will grow and become an entangled but potentially accessible space . Ideas to do with the plant, “an opportunistic rascal”, a colonising plant, it is symptomatic of wasteland,  a symbol of impending development or unstopped decay of buildings.  To form it as a plantation, planting in rows. Inverting it’s characteristics as weed. Slowly becoming a place – sinister, beautiful, eventually inpenetrable. The double sided character of the plant, pointing at paradoxes within development, the pros or cons of regeneration… that’s why ideal site is Sutton Harbour car park by arches. We are currently in correspondence with Plymouth City Council. Approximately 200 seeds sown.

Fencing along wall of naval base… I was told about a recent amnesty for knives, and thought about dancing and fighting, protest and futility, fighting as a hobby or simulation. I propose to commission a couple to fence slowly along a part of the wall of the naval base in Devonport. Working with Jaime Feliu Torres in 16mm film. To make a film of this action from corner of Duke Street. A small audience may be invited to view the filmshoot/performance (maybe from houses if I can get in contact with them). Links to antiwar and anti nuclear protests at the base. A general response to walls and barriers in the city, a feeling of divisions, hiddenness. I have had so many conversations around Plymouth about the high rate of disaffected and social deprivation due partly to reduction of employment at naval base (link with controversial US multinational Halliburtons) – there being nothing to do, the atmosphere of a garrison town.

Breakwater… to commission actors (women?) to cry at the sea from the breakwater. Lamenting, crying, screaming, shouting – different forms of intense emotional expression. Developing idea with Paula to include people on the shore as well, around the sound, facing inwards from the breakwater and seawards from land. This becomes much more ambitious and large scale… Would be a live event and audio piece. My original thought was to film on the breakwater as original idea to make film piece rather than document of a live event. For larger scale version a recording sound with gun mics on a boat in the middle of the sound.

Aknowledgements

  • Cinematography – Jaime Feliu-Torres
  • Editing and post production – Sundog Media – Stuart Moore and Kayla Parker
  • Fencers – Jake and Corinna
  • Lamenters – Lucy, Jackie, Anna, Cynthia
  • Curation – Paula Orrell and all at PAC
  • additional thanks to: Sarah Harris and Nick Clapham at Crediton Fencing Club, low profile, Lau Thiam Lok, Tabatha Andrews, Picture This, Andy Hill  and the Shillingfords

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