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Following the discovery of the National Blackberry Collection around Deal in the Kent Messenger (07/09/1918), the simple collective act of picking blackberries reveals the resilience of Home Front communities during World War One inside and around the town’s built landscape. As the war continued, local landmarks such as the Town Hall transformed to co-exist with the various needs of a community living with war becoming first aid stations and hospitals whilst school children were tasked to pick blackberries to make jam for the trenches. Working with Deal Town Council to create a new work for Deal Town Hall assembled found narratives about the town and the National Blackberry Collection through film, wallpaper, found artifacts, photography, an open call for recipes and performance with piano played by Mark Heller (Maddie4Music) enliven the significant built heritage of the area and vitality of the skyward perspective in recovery. The work titled Blackberry Tonic is part of Codename: Joined Up, a 2-year project connecting contemporary artists with museums and heritage sites through WW1-related history and managed by Dover Arts Development.

Limited Edition 1/10 (100 postcards, digital record, DMAG programme and edition index). Held at Dover Museum Collection, Deal Town Hall Collection, Deal Public Library Special Collection, Chelsea College of Arts Special Collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaker
– First World War Nursing Study Day: Other Fronts, Other Spaces

External Links
– Dover Arts Development Blog
– Colouring Book