#HEARTyourtown 9th July – 5th September 2021

An exciting new art in the public realm project as part of Kirklees Council’s #heART Your Town initiative, by Julia Borodina, Helaina Sharpley, Jim Bond, Marina Poppa/Jasmine Greaves, Lucie Sykes/Michael Dunn, Harriet Lawson/Nicola Wind

West Yorkshire Print Workshop is working with local artists and local businesses to create art installations, window displays and temporary sculptures during July and August.  Animating the streets in Mirfield and Heckmondwike, and bringing some visual joy to our town centres, there will also be a number of live events taking place, including artist demonstrations, participatory sessions and an off-street ‘animation’ performance to celebrate the art in Mirfield.

About the art works:

Vitesse

Jim Bond is creating a window installation in Huddersfield to celebrate Mirfield resident Brian Robinson (born 1930)  – the first British cyclist to win a stage of the Tour de France in 1961.  A wonderful sculptural installation of suspended bike parts evoking the dynamic and explosive energy of elite cycling. A ‘sample’ of Jim’s display will be on show in Mirfield.

 

En-Plein Air

Julia Borodina is running painting demonstrations and drop-in workshops for adults and families, inspired by the local landscape. A great opportunity to see an artist at work and for people to join in. Look out for Julia’s art banners around Mirfield town centre.

 

Sunrise

Working from design ideas contributed by local children, Harriet Lawson and Nicola Wind are creating colourful paintings featuring birds, butterflies and bees, signalling messages of hope, positivity and progress.  They will make a beautiful intervention at Mirfield train station.

 

Paper Moths

Marina Poppa and Jasmine Greaves are working with local people to create a series of paper moth installations, on display in shops and community locations in Mirfield. In addition, a special walkabout with Giant Dancing Moths will animate the town centre on Saturday 17th July, along with drop-in workshops. 

 

Floating Memories

Lucie Sykes, in partnership with Michael Dunn, is creating a wonderful digital installation, which blurs the boundary between the physical and the virtual spaces we have inhabited for the last year. Workshop participants are creating digital sculptures alongside a specially composed sound track. Audiences will experience these floating sculptures with use of their smartphones and QR codes placed around the streets while walking in Heckmondwike town centre.

 

Bird Spotting!

Helaina Sharpley is creating a trail of magical 3D birds made from wire and mixed media around Mirfield  town centre, sited at various heights, some inside, some outside, with a bird spotting card for the public to encourage looking in shops and places they normally don’t notice.