CARNIVAL DAY | SEPTEMBER 26th 2009

IT’S ALL OVER!

For everybody who made it along, we hope you enjoyed being involved in or watching Carnival on the night and and in case you haven’t heard already Edwina’s float won 2nd prize in the comic class and Matt’s entry won 2nd prize in the decorated trolley or cart category!

The Carnival Committee have extended their thanks to all of us (and you) at Foreground for our contribution to Carnival and the Rotary have sent a letter of thanks to all the collectors, this year saw a significant increase in funds collected from last year – £5300 was the rough count – so well done collectors.

You may also be interested to know that Matt Stokes has been nominated for the Northern Art Prize and Voice|Hand|Hammer|Fire with accompanying trailer, bunting, flags etc will feature in the 
exhibition at Leeds Art Gallery 27 Nov – 21 Feb …. the winner will be announced in January ….

Edwina Ashton : The Procession

Participants are helped into their costumes and onto the float

Holly West, the youngest participant on the float. Transformed in a moment.

The costumes were on, the bugs were on board and the procession began! 
Helen Fenton, guest Ashton-esque spider takes her post.

Edwina’s float took it’s place as the finishing act, the finale in the procession line and off it went on its route through Frome, from the Industrial Estate -> down Butts Hill -> up Bath Street and North Parade -> finishing at Selwood School at the other end of the town.

All Bugs gave a fantastic performance, both those onboard and those walking alongside collecting and needless to say they were favourites among the crowd! 

 

Voice | Hand | Hammer | Fire: The Procession

 

The bunting is attached to the trailer as preparations for the procession begin

 

 

Foreground Intern Fiona Cassidy  assists Matt to attach the sculpture securely to the trailer

With the sculpture safely attached to the trailer and the PA system installed in the truck set to pull the work through the procession, Matt sets off,  blasting out the hardcore/metal playlist of local bands involved in the project. Members of the bands follow behind, carrying the unique flag designs, stitched with the Voice | Hand | Hammer | Fire symbols.

Matt Stokes and Andy of Rejected Faith

Liz Bowley and Nina Camacho follow behind with flags

Alex Joseph and the sculpture in the procession as it descends down the Butts Hill and through the town centre

CARNIVAL DAY | EDWINA ASHTON

Edwina adds finishing touches to the giant cup…

and reassess what’s left to complete

Anemones made in workshops with local participants are hung in their giant display case on the back end of the float

Edwina draws on the giant book end props

Eyes are sewn on and sewn up as participants clamber back into costume

Scientist head is finished!

Finally the tractor pulls the float out of the Lock up…

and is ready to go!!

The Big Carnival Day | Bob and Roberta Smith get set

With Bob and Roberta Smith’s signature paintings added to the tricycles, participant tricyclists Sholto Walker, David Davies, Herbie and Geraint Davis  get ready to set off to their posts, as Bob and Roberta Smith’s sound collages, a montage of local residents talking about Culture, Carnival and what it means to them for a place to be ‘Independent’, broadcasts through the tannoy systems.

Bob and Roberta Smith and daughter test out the tricycles

David and Gerraint get set

David reaches his final destination with Cherish

Carnival Day : Matt Stokes prepares the sculpture

Matt Stokes’ sculpture is carefully hoisted from the Lock Up welding area onto the trailer

Nerve-racking moments…

REHEARSALS BEGIN…

With the float build really underway, participants were invited this week to attend Edwina’s first dress rehearsal. Geoff Hunt, director of the Frome Drama Club, was on hand to evoke some suitably fitting bug behaviour amongst the thespian insects, each of whom will bring the float alive with their own unique bug personality throughout the carnival procession…

As Edwina gets everybody into costume ….

… Geoff gets everybody into character

Local bugs donned their costumes in an informal and rather eccentric dress rehearsal… 

Artist Edwina Ashton and Geoff Hunt of Frome drama club assess progress on the float.

COSTUME PROGRESS … FINAL TOUCHES

Final fittings have been taking place this week as Edwina and her team of helpers add final touches to each bespoke bug costume … 

building layers …

for complex head pieces!

 antenna and abdomen 

Edwina makes some breathing holes …

negotiating multiple legs

and bulgy fly eyes

EDWINA ASHTON’S FLOAT BUILD DEVELOPMENT

Work continues on the grand float….

The production team is in full force. Edwina has been coordinating the development of costume designs and giant props for the new float, assisted by a team of enthusiastic local helpers and performers.  Under her direction, the float has really begun to take shape. 

Foreground interns and technical assistants  working tirelessly this week with Edwina and Production Manager Kit Poulson to continue work on the float construction. The rotating scientist’s head is almost in place. The teacup has been carved. The giant cake slice is taking shape…

 

Forge-In Festival Weekender

The Forge-In Weekender.

Regional Smithies and Hardcore Metallers.

It was a unique combination.

This weekend Frome was witness to Foreground hosting another inimitable event. This time at Frome’s youth and community centre, seven regional blacksmiths worked with Matt Stokes in an unyielding two-day Forge-In, alongside which an unsuspecting soundtrack of Frome’s local metal/hardcore bands Bear Fights Fire, Meier, All Guns Blazing, The Dead Life and Rejected Faith played out.  

As the metalworkers laboured over each foundational component to form the foundations of the monument’s structure, the core of Frome’s hardcore/punk scene, for whom the monument has been dedicated to, thrashed out to an ardent fan base. 

A production line of volunteers and artists worked on sewing and screen printing Matt’s black flag bunting which will adorn the final carnival entry, imprinted with the project’s unique four symbols: VOICE | HAND | HAMMER | FIRE. With screenprinting  for  visitors, barbecue and skate ramp the day bought in a fantastic crowd.