Tatton 365



Mark Williamson Tatton Park ©



Hello, my name is Mark Williamson and I am currently shooting a photographic project on Tatton Park, called Tatton 365.

The aim of the project is to document all aspects of life at Tatton Park. My background is in advertising photography, so this project is a little bit of a departure for me, in the sense that most of my work is constructed photography, normally working to a very detailed brief. The only brief for the Tatton 365 project is self appointed, and is to present a detailed and personal insight into life at Tatton. I started shooting in the summer of 2011 and will finish around October of 2012, with some of the work going on display in the mansion from 6th October. Details are on the Tatton Park events listing webpage

I shall try to post monthly on the build up to the exhibition, with a few images thrown in to give a taste of some of the work.



Mark Williamson Tatton Park ©



So March is my first post and as the days get longer, life on the estate is getting busier. The gardens are starting to come to life, with the trees and shrubs packed with buds biding their time before they burst open. The farm is gradually welcoming new arrivals and lambing week is just around the corner. It's always hard driving through the estate at dawn, with the silhouettes of deer herds slowly emerging from the morning mist. The urge to take "just one more photo of the deer" is always hard to resist.



Mark Williamson Tatton Park ©



These events and hundreds more are just some of the sources of my inspiration for this project, and hopefully I will be able to convey my passion for this subject matter over the coming months.

Wonderland and the White Rabbit...

If you were in the Gardens at Tatton over the Easter Weekend you may have thought you were seeings things with a White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts and other slightly mad characters but it was of course quite real! well, I think it was...


The Queen of Hearts & White Rabbit

©Margaret Clark

  

Alice at tea

©Margaret Clark



The weather was a bit chilly but the Rabbit did tell me that at least the fur coat kept him cosy, and perhaps the way everyone was running about kept the rest of them warm too, along with the tea...you can’t have Alice in Wonderland without the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

The visitors joined in (with a bit of encouragement) with singing, dancing, juggling and anything else the children persuaded their parents to get up and perform!

It looked very busy in the Stableyard with a Magic Show, Punch and Judy and Hat Making...a quiz in the Mansion and a trail in the Gardens. Lots going on at the Farm too with storytelling with the Queen of Hearts and following the Cheshire Cat trail...not forgetting the main event with lots of new born lambs and chicks.

As well as the amazing characters and the madness of the Alice in Wonderland story, there was the real magic of all the plants and trees bursting into flower and blossom and new life with the baby animals...a proper Easter!

Margaret Clark, Interpreter Guide



  

Among Pioneers: Maurice Egerton and Early Flight Exhibition

Let your imagination take flight with a new exhibition in the mansion at Tatton Park, marking the re-opening of the house for spring.

‘Among Pioneers: Maurice Egerton and Early Flight’, opened on Saturday and explores the fascinating story of the development of aeroplane flight during the early 20th century.

Central to the story the exhibition uncovers is the passionate involvement of Maurice Egerton during this intense period of exploration into early flight. Maurice, 4th and last Baron Egerton of Tatton (1874-1958) was a pioneer aviator, photographer, filmmaker, traveller and motorist.



Lt Commander Maurice Egerton,

© Tatton Park/Cheshire East Council/National Trust

 In 1903 the American Wright brothers made the first controlled, powered and sustained, heavier-than-air, human flight in an aeroplane. Inspired by this great event Maurice devoted a decade of his life to pioneering aviation work, at first developing his own aircraft, then testing and flying planes, eventually for the Royal Navy.

The exhibition explores Maurice’s friendships with some of these early aviators and his personal journey to make his own ambitions to quite literally, take flight.

Original material from Maurice’s archive and photographic collection is also be on display.

The exhibition is a collaboration between Tatton Park and Jim Rait, an aero-engine designer and expert in aviation history. The exhibition will be supplemented by a special talk by Jim on Wednesday, September 20, ‘Invention and adventure – early flight and technology’. Further details can be found below and on the Tatton Park website.

Mansion and collections manager Caroline Schofield said: “Maurice Egerton is something of an enigma. This quiet, unassuming and shy man is found among the ranks of the pioneers in the development of early aeroplanes in Britain. Though a terrible flying accident curtailed feats of daring, he continued to test and fly aeroplanes during the First World War, employing his meticulous eye for detail in support of the war effort. ”

‘Among Pioneers: Maurice Egerton and Early Flight’ exhibition
Saturday, March 24 to Sunday, May 6 2012 (closed Mondays). The Mansion is open from 1pm-5pm (last entry 4pm).

‘Invention and adventure – early flight and technology’ talk:
Wednesday, September 20. 11am-noon. £7.50 per person.
Jim Rait, aero-engine designer and expert in aviation history has researched the life and aviation exploits of Maurice Egerton. Tatton Park’s photographic collection and Maurice Egerton’s flight-log provides a fascinating insight into Egerton’s first attempts as a pilot and relations with the aviator Orville Wright.
Booking in advance essential. Please call 01625 374428 to book.

Eleanor Gorsuch, Tatton Marketing

A Day in the life of Tatton Park Biennial Volunteer.

Tatton’s 2012 Biennial is coming up soon and the artists involved are well underway with production for their piece. One of those artist is Aura Satz, who’s piece is embedded with the ornaments, patterns and music of Tatton hall itself. As one of the volunteers at the Biennial I had the chance to work as a runner and work behind the scene checking out some of the filming that will appear in the final piece.

Since graduating in 2010 in photography I have be volunteering at art events to gain experience from within the industry. The opportunity to work along side the Tatton park Biennial came about after sending the curators (Danielle Arnaud and Jordan Kaplan) an email, following a visit to the 2010 Biennial. So far I have been find the experiences interesting whilst gaining skills and insight to the industry.

Aura’s piece for the biennial explores rooms up close and personal, taking the small patterns from around tables, mirrors, bookshelves as well as the intricate strings of instruments. The camera seems to follow the natural path of such a piece, creating a delicate and intimate portrait of one of most well known rooms at Tatton Hall. Although they seem beautifully simple, the way in which pieces like this are actually achieved is not. Boxes and boxes of equipment were needed from Bevis (the camera man) to receive the look and correct positioning of the camera was, sometimes, down to the cm.

Two (extremely talented) musicians played the harpsichord and one of the pianos from the house. Filming was focused on the movement of the strings as they where playing. Seeing this part of the movement close up gave you a completely different view of the instrument.  It makes you realize how much intricacy is needed to make such instruments and the movement of the strings almost hypnotizing.  This, a long with the music from composer Larry Goves, was truly an amazing opportunity and one I am very grateful to have had the chance to experience. As well as getting the chance to see behind the scene process I have gained better understand to the needs of artists and the development of pieces.

Remember to visit Tatton Park Biennial where you can see the final piece from the 12^TH May.  I promise the piece will change the way you see the music room.

Musical melodies: performance and talk

Find yourself in the magnificent entrance hall of Tatton Park mansion on Thursday, March 15 and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped into the pages of a scene from Pride and Prejudice.

Penelope Cave, prizewinning pianist and harpsichordist, will be giving a special performance of music played and loved by Elizabeth Egerton, the ‘lady of the house’ during the early 19th century and a contemporary of Jane Austen.

Penelope Cave

Elizabeth Egerton (1777-1853) was a keen musician, with a serious and lasting interest in music. Her scores are held in Tatton Park’s collection and, with performances of pieces from these volumes, Penelope will trace her progress from a wealthy Yorkshire childhood, via a boarding school for young ladies, to becoming the wife of her cousin, Wilbraham and mistress of Tatton Park.

Penelope’s talk will highlight some of the findings of her research into the Tatton Park music collection, towards a PhD at the University of Southampton (funded by the National Trust and the Arts and Humanities Research Council).

This is a rare opportunity to hear some newly discovered material about a previous owner of the house and to hear the very music that Elizabeth loved and played in this stunning setting. Prepare to be transported!

The Musical melodies performance and talk is one of three lectures taking place in the mansion this year. The lectures form part of the extensive adult and family-learning programme with nearly 60 activities and participatory events taking place this year.

Musical melodies - talk and performance: Thursday, March 15.
11am-noon. £7.50 per person.  Places must be booked in advance, please call 01625 374428. 
The Mansion re-opens to the public on Saturday, March 24.

Eleanor Gorsuch, Marketing

Up In The Air

Olivier Grossetete 'Pont de Singe'

It was surprisingly warm and beautiful at Tatton Park yesterday. And it was a good job too, because artist Olivier Grossetete (who arrived on Wednesday) from Marseille, France was meeting the Biennial team to discuss his artwork proposal, ‘Pont de Singe’ (meaning rope bridge). You have to agree, his imagination is fantastic, because he wants to create the impossible; an elongated, wooden, rope bridge, suspended in the air by three, giant, helium-filled balloons, which will rise and fall with the elements.

Biennial curators, Danielle Arnaud and Jordan Kaplan are seen here talking on the bridge with Olivier and structural engineer, Toby Savage about the logistics involved for creating an artwork of this magnitude. 

Whilst discussions continued at the Golden Brook, something caught my attention in the corner of my eye. It was Simon Tetlow, Garden Team Supervisor of Tatton Park floating passed in a rowing boat. He casually moored up, disappeared amongst the shrubs and later joined us to offer his expertise and to answer any questions we had. Protecting the gardens, wildlife and surrounding areas was high on our the agenda, as well as creating an artwork that was structurally safe and sound, whilst allowing Olivier’s idea to reach it’s full potential.

Given the Biennial's theme 'Flights of Fancy' and with this proposal in mind, Olivier Grossetete reminds me of those inventors and mathematicians who created wings for their arms and constructed marvellous flying contraptions, all of whom shared the one dream, and that was to take to the skies. 

I would (seriously) return to this blog if you are interested in reading and seeing how this artwork goes up in the air.

Debbie Chan, Project Manager for Tatton Park Biennial debbie@tattonparkbiennial.org

Return of Tatton Park Biennial

Firstly, I want to introduce myself. My name is Debbie and I'm new to this blog, new to Tatton Park and new to working on Tatton Park Biennial 2012. For those who haven't heard of the Biennial before, it is a contemporary art event that takes place every other year and artists are commissioned to create site-specific artworks within and around the landscaped gardens and inside the estate. If you're familiar with the Biennial or it's starting to ring bells, you might remember the art installation in 2010 called Evacuate created by artist Kate MccGwire, where thousands of locally sourced bird feathers weaved through and consumed the kitchen. It was a piece, even my mother-in-law remembers and talks about today, because she found it both haunting and beautiful.

Juneau Projects, Gleaners of the Infocalypse, The Long Wood

Anyhow, you will be pleased to hear that the Biennial is returning to your park, opening to the public on Saturday 12th May. The theme is Flights of Fancy, where artworks will refer to Tatton Park's aeronautical legacy, as well as the human urge to fly. Did you know that during the Second World War, Tatton's parkland played a major role in the training of RAF paratroopers and the grounds were used for test parachute jumps? Lord Maurice Egerton of Tatton was even described to have been "an innovator, a man of great inventive and technical skill, a pioneer aviator, photographer and filmmaker", so it makes sense for this year's Biennial to explore these themes. 

Artists duo, Philip Duckworth and Ben Sadler, known as Juneau Projects plan to transform a decommissioned aeroplane into an iconic sculpture called Gleaners of the Infocalypse. Yes, you heard correctly. Half an aircraft, no longer needed for service, will take on a new life here at Tatton Park. The very thought of it arriving excites me and I think it will look oddly spectacular amongst the peaceful, rural landscape. Watch this blog for more updates.

Over the next few months, you will hear more from the Biennial team, because we want to give you an insight on what we get up to, who we meet, how we work closely with Tatton Park staff and the challenges we are faced with when commissioning artworks for the park. Having spent a year on maternity leave, I am thrilled to be back and taking on the role of Biennial Project Manager. The bringing together of creative experts and professionals from various backgrounds to create art and educational events in response to the rich landscape, heritage and history dating back to medieval times, you have to agree is a very exciting time for Tatton Park.

Join our mailing list http://www.tattonparkbiennial.org/contacts to receive latest news and updates about the Biennial or follow us on twitter @tpbiennial or facebook tattonparkbiennial


Debbie Chan, Project Manager for Tatton Park Biennial debbie@tattonparkbiennial.org