Graham Tunnadine
King Canute
A proposal for a public event to save the planet
(Graham Tunnadine – January 2022)
People, tools, making, recycled wooden pallets, procession, towing, floating, destruction by the sea.
It is a thousand years since King Canute ruled England, Scotland, Denmark and Norway. The famous myth of “Canute and the waves” was written 100 years after Canute's death by Henry (Bishop) of Huntingdon. The bishop put his own political Christian slant on the story to say that only God can hold back the sea, but at this time of Climate Change it is more important than ever to emphasize that the solution to reversing climate change is in our hands.
This is a proposal for a piece which will be available for the exhibition in one or two ways:
Firstly : As Virtual reality games engine environment. (This is in progress)
Secondly: As an interactive site-specific installation/performance/ public engagement sculpture.
This an art activism work and the result and scope will continue through the exhibition the exhibition.
The plan is to produce a sculpture of an arm made of donated wooden/recycled pallets, and to tow it out to sea. To anchor it and allow it to bob around in the sea until it eventually self-destructs. Meanwhile the gaps between the wood will allow a sanctuary to any fish and wildlife which so wish to use it.
I have been working on this for a few years and during the last year developing it as a virtual environment.
40 years ago this year, we made a carved pot of chalk at Beachy Head. (click on image to the left). It was about a meter high, and at high tide it was fully submerged. When we carved it, we revealed a white pot out of the seaweed. 3 months later, nature had taken over and the pot was covered in seaweed and surrounding chalk was white winter bare. Another 6 months and it was not there at all.
Canute 2022
Dimensions: As large as possible – the size of a boat 30m to 60 metres long
Resources:
Either with or without the help of volunteers.
Once a venue and date is established, kickstarter funding will be sought as part of the artworks method.
Donations or support will be asked for materials (such as wood).
It is a thousand years since King Canute ruled Denmark, England, Scotland and Norway. The famous myth of “Canute and the waves” was written 100 years after Canute's death by Henry (Bishop) of Huntingdon. The bishop put his own political Christian slant on the story to say that only God can hold back the sea, but at this time of Climate Change it is more important than ever to emphasize that the solution to reversing climate change is in our hands.
This is a proposal for a piece which will be available for the exhibition in one or two ways:
Firstly : As Virtual reality games engine environment. (This is in progress)
Secondly: As an interactive site-specific installation/performance/ public engagement sculpture.
This an art activism work and the result and scope will continue through the exhibition the exhibition.
The plan is to produce a sculpture of an arm made of donated wooden/recycled pallets, and to tow it out to sea. To anchor it and allow it to bob around in the sea until it eventually self-destructs. Meanwhile the gaps between the wood will allow a sanctuary to any fish and wildlife which so wish to use it.
I have been working on this for a few years and during the last year developing it as a virtual environment.
40 years ago this year, we made a carved pot of chalk at Beachy Head. (click on image to the left). It was about a meter high, and at high tide it was fully submerged. When we carved it, we revealed a white pot out of the seaweed. 3 months later, nature had taken over and the pot was covered in seaweed and surrounding chalk was white winter bare. Another 6 months and it was not there at all.
Canute 2022
Dimensions: As large as possible – the size of a yacht 30 metres to 60 metres long
Resources:
Either with or without the help of volunteers.
Once a venue and date is established, kickstarter funding will be sought as part of the artworks method.
Donations or support will be asked for materials (such as wood).