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Dear Miss Catlow, Thank you very much for your very interesting email. I have visited your web site and the Cloud of Unknowing is a very interesting piece indeed. As you know S. Julian's church in Norwich is very small, and so I do not think that we can be of any use to you. But I have forwarded your email to the Dean of Norwich, and he might be able to make further suggestions. In case you wish to contact him, his name is The Very Rev'd Stephen Platten. With every good wish for your project, Martin Smith |
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To The Very Rev'd Stephen Platten, Dean of Norwich Cathedral 27th August 1999.
Dear Very Rev'd Stephen Platten, My name is Ruth Catlow and I work as an artist in London. I am currently involved with a project called /broadcast/(29 pilgrims,29 tales), set up by Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie, in collaboration with the Tate Gallery, London. The project is intended as a celebration of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, with 29 selected 'pilgrims' making a journey and telling a tale. The whole project will be accessible to the public via live a Internet broadcast. I have been chosen to be one of the pilgrims and my pilgrimage involves a trip to the shrine and chapel of Julian of Norwich. I will explain as briefly as possible what my pilgrimage entails, why I am making it and how I think you may be able to help me. 7 years ago I made a piece of sculpture that I called 'Guardian'- its geometric form reflected for me lightness, a state of constant flux and the ability to understand something seemingly irrational as true and simple. I clearly envisaged the sculpture as a piece that should be portable (like a tent or a kite) as I hadn't found the right site for it at the time. I exhibited a remake of the piece two years ago at The Nunnery-Gallery (built on the site of a Carmelite Convent referred to in The Canterbury Tales) where I work as education coordinator and where I have my studio. This time I recounted the true story of how the form of the sculpture came about and renamed it 'The Cloud of Unknowing'. Whilst researching 'The Cloud' I came across the writings of Julian of Norwich. Which brings me to my pilgrimage. I have been very taken by the warmth, practicality and clarity of Julian's writing and especially by her role as anchoress. I feel that there is a connection which I would like to explore further - I am not yet completely clear about the nature of the connection.I still have a lot of work to do. It is rather difficult for contemporary artists to make work that doesn't conform to the current orthodoxies of theory, market and fashion and so to be supported in an exploration of this kind is very valuable to me. I plan to make a trip to Norwich on the 11th September with my sculpture in order to find a site for it.It needn't be a permanent site, it could be outdoors or indoors. My ideal site would be hanging in the roof or spire of a church. The sculpture is 7' high, wide and deep and is lighter than a bag of sugar and very low maintenance. On the day, my first stop will be at Julian's shrine and chapel -then on to find the right site. In preparation for my trip I am trying to establish some potential venues for my sculpture and I wondered if you might be able to advise me of any local churches or parks that might have an interest in siting 'The Cloud' either permanently or temporarily. If you would like more information and an idea of what the piece looks like you could visit my webpages I would be very grateful for any suggestions or advice. Thankyou very much for your time. very best wishes |