Calder Hall and Prospect Cottage

A Journey Through Art and Memory

Calder Hall (Sellafield) has coexisted alongside Prospect Cottage in my imagination for as long as I can remember.

Calder Hall, and Dungeness – or rather, the dream space that its shadow inhabits – was the setting for Cirxus. Written in 2009 for the Arcola Theatre, Cirxus remains one of the most fulfilling creative experiences of my artistic life.

CIRXUS

Earlier this year, just before I turned fifty-three, I undertook a pilgrimage: a private tour of Jarman’s home. As luck would have it, I was the only person on the tour, which allowed me to listen to the extraordinary Claire Unsworth, filmmaker and artist, as she shared the hidden history behind the creative ephemera Jarman collected throughout his life and work. These items – artworks, props from his films, and everyday objects he saved – were artefacts that resonated deeply with a process of discovery in creative practice.

It was a strange, almost surreal moment, to witness and feel this connection. The fact is, as artists, we mark our existence in this way – through the work we create. When our work is seen as ‘other’, we record our lives and acknowledge that our creations have value. Even in an age that devalues anything extraordinary. This value is held tightly within the experience of making, and is reflected in the treasures we find along the way. The posters, the costumes, and of course, the masks. These objects signify that we existed alongside, or perhaps within, the ritual of creation – whether that means writing a story, crafting a film, or sculpting.

Meaning and experience go hand in hand.