Blithe Nook – Bethnal Green
by Miss Roberts
A mosaic of a leaf created from street litter in Bethnal Green park.
Bethnal Green is a district in East London, England.
This was a site specific installation about the origins of Bethnal Green in the Belfry at St Johns in London on 5 September until 3 October 2013
“the earliest form of Bethnal Green is derived from the Anglo-Saxon healh (‘angle, nook, or corner’) and blithe (‘happy, blithe’).
A settlement’s dependence upon water suggests that the ‘happy corner’ was cleared next to the natural spring… Over time, the name became Bethan Hall Green, which, because of local pronunciation as Beth’n ‘all Green, had by the 19th century changed to Bethnal Green.” Wikipedia
Blithe Nook takes its starting point from this description on the origins of Bethnal Green. Imagining the area as a clearing next to a spring, and how special it must have been to the local residents, it tries to capture the ghost of this and connect it to the busy metropolitan area it has now become. The piece includes botanical mosaics made from recycled street litter, cabinets showing aspects of the area that have caught the curiosity of residents and passers by, a soundscape comprising of sounds from the Green and an opportunity for visitors to contribute their own items of curiosity or wonder. There will also be live art performances on the opening night. St John on Bethnal Green 200 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA London, United Kingdom
Lead Artist : Miss Roberts. Participating artists and performers: Cos Chapman, Emma Harvey, Tracey Holloway, Jude Cowan Montague, Jill Rock, Calum F. Kerr, Mick Frangou, Ed Boucher, Lee McFadden, Tracey Holloway, Phillip Raymond Goodman, Punkvert, Gardyloo Spew, Django Bates, Bitten By A Monkey, Matt Scott, Jowe Head and DemiMonde
The Library of Obscure Wonders 