Our versatile red container doubles up as a community art gallery as well as a live music performance venue
Rooted’s red container is a great live performance venue but also serves as a community art gallery in which we try to display work created by our community. This month’s gallery in the red container is ‘Together We Shine’ which aimed to create a human sundial in the Rooted in Hull garden The project was led by Helen Gill, an abstract and multi media artist and owner of HelloU Creative with able contributions from the Rooted in Sunshine women’s group and the Wednesday gather and grow group, as well as many other contributors from the community.
Each of the 12 faces was decorated by our people… We spent quite a while trying to figure out which of the faces were our favourites, so much so that we refused to choose in the end. There is at least one inspired by Jackson Pollock that we found quite bold and I was looking at that one quite closely before realising that our very own Martin King had done it, so I kept quiet about my interest!
Some of Helen’s art incorporates augmented reality using an app she discovered a few years ago resulting in the ability for us to use our phones to bring her art to life on screen. This also works on some of the sundial faces, one of them appears to summon a dinosaur!
The app to make this work can be downloaded onsite using a QR code, thrusting the farm firmly into the digital world and serving to encourage visits from our younger generation, even if it’s to help our community’s technophobes navigate through the app store!
Installation was last week. The sun came out, seemingly on demand and Paula who runs the women’s group took up position in the centre at bang on 12pm. Her shadow casting perfectly depicting that it was time for lunch. Being a special occasion, we fired up the pizza oven and everybody ate whilst being filled with a sense of massive achievement. The sundial is simply the latest in a line of projects that we have completed since establishing our urban farm and will remain as a fixture that serves to remind us of the benefits of bringing the community together. Just another reason for you to come and visit us.
Helen’s sundial project really highlights how important our work here at Rooted is for the local community. Donations and sponsorship make it all possible, so if you want to do your bit and help maintain this great work you can help by donating here. Hope to see you soon!
