In Our Element
River Churn project
As part of the In Our Element arts project, artist Jony Easterby was chosen to work with the biodiversity team of the Cotswold Water Park Society on an ecological audit of the river Churn, which runs through the centre of Cirencester.
River Churn Project
Artist Jony Easterby has been chosen from an open national artist's competition to join the biodiversity team on the first research and community stage of the River Churn Project. He will be working with the Society's ecologists and local people to undertake an audit of the River Churn, its landscape and ecology. We believe this is the first project of its kind in the UK. This unique project has support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation; further support will be sought for phase 2.
Project update March 2008
As part of the In Our Element arts project, artist Jony Easterby was recently chosen to work with the biodiversity team of the Cotswold Water Park Society on an ecological audit of the river Churn.
He joined the Cotswold Water Park's Director of Conservation Simon Pickering along the river Churn to take part in a water vole survey during the summer. Following this experience, Jony then took to the river much as the water mammals might, floating, swimming and walking the river, understanding the river's special character, how the river eddied and flowed, bringing brash and trash downstream:
Jony described his experience as follows:
'Inspired by a combination of Roger Deakin's 'Waterlog' and Burt Lancaster in 'The Swimmer', I set out to document the river Churn from the perspective of the surface of the water in the same way an otter or water vole might see it.
On entering Cirencester, the flow of the River Churn as well as its ecology and swim-ability is bought to a rude standstill as it led through culverts, underground tunnels and forced through sluice gates. The river seems ignored and pushed to one side as though its presence was not really welcome.
Forced onto dry land I found myself wandering around the town in a wet suit looking for the various channels. Understandably like a fish out of water, I attracted some attention and a few questions. What better way to engage with local people and break the ice than to dress in questionable clothing and wander the town -soon intrigued people came up to me. Accompanied by a similarly clad camera man we eventually ended the day drinking sloe gin with Mrs Rankin of Rankin Taylor Antiques on Dollar Street listening to tales of 3ft floods washing the labels off all the wine in the cellar as the Churn reminded people of its true potential.
Why do we not celebrate this meandering water course in Cirencester like many cities do? Perhaps its un-navigable, slow moving flow has never allowed it the status afforded to the great rivers.
The filming and documentation will continue over the next few months, and in a true reflection of Ned Sherill in 'The Swimmer' we will eventually arrive at the river's end as leaves fall from the trees and we move into the Autumn months. Further research into river surveys has bought to light the practice of 'night surveying for trout' as they appear to be unflustered by torch light and snorkels. We will attempt this later in the month!?'
This unique research will culminate in three special events - a day in which a group of artists from all over the country will come together to discuss rivers and share their work on the environment, a public event in which the River Churn will be experienced in a very different way by the public through an artist's eyes, and an exhibition.
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This project is supported by the Cotswold Strategic Partnership and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. 'In Our Element' is supported by Arts Council England and Gloucestershire County Council.
