Made from This Land: making art and bricks in the Southend landscape from then to now

Description

Made from This Land: making art and bricks in the Southend landscape from then to now accompanies a permanent public art installation exploring the untold history of local brickfields in Southend-on-Sea. After discovering a covenant in the deeds of many local houses, stating residents are not allowed to make bricks or tiles from the clay underneath their feet, artist Emma Edmondson dug up local clay and made over 500 hand-made bricks in collaboration with the community to create a sculptural walk formed of the clay-rich land it sits on. 

This publication pulls together Edmondson’s historical research, alongside charting the development of the artwork from concept to creation, through council chambers and into the public realm. This is a reflection on the the unseen labour and challenges an artist might encounter when creating art publicly, alongside a wider debate concerning the socio-political landscape surrounding contemporary public art.

Featuring essays from Richard Baxter, Tim Burrows, Rose Cleary, Ken Crowe, Emma Edmondson, Good Law Project, Jes Fernie, Holly Firmin, Ned Newitt, Vittorio Ricchetti and Katharine Stout this book explores agency, land ownership and our connections to the land we live on.

Title: Made from This Land: making art and bricks in the Southend landscape from then to now

Author/Editor: Emma Edmondson

Publisher: Emma Edmondson

Pages: 180

Dimensions: 240 x 167mm

Format: Softcover

Year: 2024 (edition of 300)