return
(Exhibitions, Installations, Land Works, planted, Publications)

the idea of RETURN is based on the course of nature. The movement is cyclic, and the course completes itself.

I Ching (Wilhelm translation)

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return, exhibition, site-responsive, death, dying, comfort, memorial, planted, nature, growth, particpatory, video, video projection, installation, daffodils, wheatgrass, community, publication, event, catalogue

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Prema Arts Centre March 29 - May 10 1998

a site - generated exhibition referencing the personal
and community memory of the death of my child, Davin.
Situated in a former chapel, this work celebrated 'continuum'
and honoured the process of grieving.

return is a glimpse,
the movement is cyclic,
nature completes itself

I remember...holding your hand through town as you said ?hello? to strangers / ?that was a nice lady? / taking off your wellies to go in the bank because there was carpet on the floor / red wellies with yellow tops / the ones you loved / the ones you died in / finding onions in my shoes / wondering / where you were / with little May-May / on the path / between our home & hers / where we and the wind / scattered your ashes / I remember / your little arms around my neck / the feel of your cheek pressed against mine ...and how you loved the daffodils

Throughout return, Prema received in the region of 2,000+ visitors to the work. The processes and outcomes of this exhibition were extraordinary, I received countless correspondences from people touched by the work.

"This work is beautiful, spare, delicate, thorough & stylish;
it has an emotional kick that has left me rattled for the last two weeks" Folake Shoga

Media coverage included local press, HTV & a double page feature by Simon Hattenstone for The Guardian

Acknowledgements:

with thanks to Prema:
Mark Crowe, Nic Dadswell,
Joanna Montgomery, Gordon Scott,

Marijatta Bryan for her inspired writing and archive of memories

Mac Dunlop, my sons - Tiriel, Jiva & Sam,
Eddie Chambers, Andrew Dewdney, Colin Evans,
Phil Goodall, Jools Green, Sophie Howard, Martin Lister,
Steve Moles, Anthea Nicholson, Folake Shoga, Gilly Rogers.

The exhibition ?return? & the catalogue ?afterimages?
were supported by:
The J.A. Clark Charitable Trust
the Langtree Trust, Rolls Royce plc.
& The Haffendon Moulding Co. Ltd
Photobition Ltd

for further information see PDF(s) :

	return (2.5MB)
	exhibition documentation and report by Gordon Scott - director, Prema Arts Centre

	'Love letters to my dead child' (421KB)
	Feature article for The Guardian April 29th 1998 by Simon Hattenstone

	'return' Focal issue 3 (2.0MB)
	Image / text centre page spread for Focal - a magazine produced by Stroud Valleys Artspace

	return reviews (647KB)
	Artist Newsletter (Julian Warren), Venue Magazine (Folake Shoga) & local newspapers

	Return Evaluation Report (72KB)
	MA.thesis: Negotiated practice- InSites May 2000