Art and Energy Collective. Credit Art and Energy Collective
Synopsis
Inspired by the history of Brick Kiln Court as the site of St Gabriel’s Colliery (one of the largest coal seams in Bristol), this public art programme celebrates how even the smallest action, made collectively, can make a difference in the climate crisis.
Bricks, a Bristol-based social enterprise, worked collaboratively with Juniper Homes Bristol (the developer), Bristol City Council and local community members; to commission an experiential public art programme by the South West based artists, The Art and Energy Collective.
The programme draws on the history of the site, looks at how fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago and celebrates the power of small collective actions to counter the climate crisis taking place around us.
The programme has gone on to create a national touring artwork titled The Mossy Carpet, which has visited a range of venues and audiences across the South West and around the country.
”The climate and ecological emergencies are the giant of our times, but when we look to nature, we can find hope and new ideas. We know that many people are making changes, these need to be celebrated and shared. That’s where the Mossy Carpet comes in!”The Art and Energy Collective
Public Art can take many forms, from sculptures to poetry, from planting schemes to soundscapes; but it’s not often public art takes the form of an ancient microscopic animal (a “water bear” who manages a telephone hotline) or a carpet made up of moss and people’s dreams for a better future… That’s less common.
In 2023, Bricks was commissioned to deliver a public art programme for people living in and local to a new housing development at Brick Kiln Court in Easton, Bristol.
The programme responds to the historic use of the land, as one of the largest collieries in Bristol and explores themes of fossil fuels, energy use, the power of small collective actions, sustainability and the climate crisis.
Bricks worked with a local commissioning group made up of the developer, Bristol City Council and local community members, to run an open call for local artist submissions, to shortlist submissions and to support the selection of the final artwork programme. Bricks then worked alongside the artists and the site developers to realise a series of climate focused creative workshops and a supporting podcast.
The commissioned artist chosen by local people was south-west based The Art and Energy Collective. They were inspired by Brick Kiln Court’s history to create a new touring artwork and series of participatory workshops: The Mossy Carpet.
This special and wholly optimistic artwork was inspired by the Brick Kiln Court site and is being made in collaboration with people not only local to Easton but now also all around the UK and seeks to celebrate the small actions we all take to fight against the climate crisis.
Delivered as a series of workshops that look at how fossil fuels were created from tiny mosses and how ancient microscopic creatures preserved themselves to live out inhospitable environments, participants talk about the small actions they can collectively take to fight climate change and make textile mosses to add to the ever growing Mossy Carpet artwork, which symbolises the small bright solutions we can all bring together for the common good.
”Children from the Raised in Bristol Nursery and Felix Road Adventure Playground were brilliant! We were so pleased they found mosses in the tiniest cracks in pavements and tarmac on site, a little bit of wilderness always present, and we loved the enthusiasm for mossy pom-poms making for The Mossy Carpet.”The Art and Energy Collective
More Information
Join Chloe, Naomi and Jenny from The Art and Energy Collective as they lead us through the captivating exploration of climate action, collective creativity, and the unexpected teachings from moss: www.bricksbristol.org/podcast/episode-16-mossy-carpet-the-art-energy-collective/
Have you ever heard of a Tardigrade?…
https://bricksbristol.org/2024/02/have-you-ever-heard-of-a-tardigrade-no-us-either/
The Art and Energy Collective is a group of artists, makers, thinkers and tinkerers who want to use their skills to respond to the climate emergency. They specialise in designing mass participation artworks that help people connect with nature and take steps towards a brighter greener futures.
Felix Road is a unique space dedicated to children’s play, family time and community togetherness.
Our adventure playground has an open access policy – this means children are free to come and go as they choose. Children can decide what they do and with whom, they are encouraged to control their own play. Our play space offers children the freedom to grow, explore, be creative, experiment, be wild and crazy, take measured risks, play with uncertainty…….and enjoy a healthy happy childhood!
We provide people of all ages with places and ways to connect. We are passionate about our community and putting local people in control so together we can build healthy and happy neighbourhoods. We inform and inspire action in Easton and Lawrence Hill making East Central Bristol a place of possibility for everyone.
Raised In is a social enterprise dedicated to providing first-rate early years education whilst supporting community organisations.
Rowan Bishop is an award winning podcast producer, sound designer, composer and editor based in Bristol.
We are a Bristol-based charity working with creative, local and social enterprise communities in and around the South West. We produce public artwork programmes, deliver creative collaborative activities and secure permanent spaces in the city to build sustainable futures.
We believe in the civic role of artists and that through collaboration we can support communities to build mutually supportive resilience.
The children really enjoyed themselves and were wonderfully engaged in what was explained and demonstrated to them. Being outside, learning and being creative at the same time seemed to capture their interests”Raised in Bristol Felix Road Nursery
