Space & Shadow

A new year, a new project!

I am delighted to announce that in partnership with The Commandery museum in Worcester I will be holding an exhibition of original poetry and photography exploring the theme of Space and Shadow. The exhibition will run from 10th – 24th April 2022.

There are stories behind every shadow, lurking in every space, and The Commandery is no exception. In creating this collection, I have explored witches’ marks with my fingertips, heard echoes in the shadows, and walked with ghosts and shades; experiences not to be discounted but preserved for you and tomorrow’s footsteps. A book will be released following the exhibition (which will be free to enter subject to the museum’s entry fee) which will contain additional content – with an additional secret surprise!

I am also inviting my subscribers to be involved – in return for a pledge on my kickstarter project, you will be supporting a project that not only maintains the legacy of this unique and special site, but also in a time of confusion and worry one that allows a space for reflection and peace. Your name will be listed as a supporter in return for any donation you make. There are also limited special gifts in return for some pledges.

The magic of space and shadow – the significance of Worcester & The Commandery

Every building has its sacred space, that place where ghosts push back and senses heighten, become awake and aware. For me, in this wonderment of a city I call home, I have been fortunate enough to find two such spaces – the Norman crypt in the Cathedral, and The Commandery, in particular the Painted Chamber.

Part of the original St Wulstan hospital (c1085), The Commandery’s medieval painted ceiling has only every been truly seen by those receiving human interventions and ministrations whilst in reposed contemplation for their mortality and soul, and its imagery is at once calming and forceful. Hiding underneath layers of whitewash from the Puritan era, gloriously painted figures waited to be rediscovered in 1935, whose stories will be a feature of a future project.

So many other magical and wonderment spaces have also revealed themselves in my wanderings in this unique building, tucked away next to the site of the old Sidbury Gate, along the original main route towards Oxford and London. Although popularly noted for its connections with the Civil War leading to the Cromwellian age (although many historians would argue this was the last of several civil wars which beleaguered and shaped our country over centuries, in all of which Worcester played a significant role), The Commandery has many layers to its essence which are often overlooked, holding an esteemed place in the heart of Worcester’s history – a city which in itself has been a significant player in the theatre of our history.

“Imagination is the tool by which you shape your world”