Politicizing the Withy

Currently on the go are a series of sculptures and mix media pieces loosely based of the Anglo Saxon poem, the Ruin: the aim The pieces will eventual flock over to Exeter City centre which is not only being currently ruined by developers, but also boasts numerous rather inappropriate and peculiarly pointless sculptures 'dedicated' to the Exeter Book (tenth century -yes I said Tenth Century so PRE NORMAN book of poetry which includes the riddle).
But within those pieces other are also taking shape. There is also clearly a series which are more about the themes of time, religion, and shopping, all of which have such a presence in Exeter City Centre. And another series dedicated to exploring how the saturday drinking binge, which is such a feature of modern Exeter, is caught up in a tradition of exploitation and history. The project might be included witin the ruin project or might not.

Please Note this translation is not the best. For that see Michael Alexander's translation. However that is in Copywite (this to ), and this one is not (or at least on Wikopedia...)

This masonry is wondrous; fates broke it
courtyard pavements were smashed; the work of giants is decaying.
Roofs are fallen, ruinous towers,
the frosty gate with frost on cement is ravaged,
chipped roofs are torn, fallen,
undermined by old age. The grasp of the earth possesses
the mighty builders, perished and fallen,
the hard grasp of earth, until a hundred generations
of people have departed. Often this wall,
lichen-grey and stained with red, experienced one reign after another,
remained standing under storms; the high wide gate has collapsed.
Still the masonry endures in winds cut down
persisted on__________________
fiercely sharpened________ _________
______________ she shone_________
_____________g skill ancient work_________
_____________g of crusts of mud turned away
spirit mo________yne put together keen-counselled
a quick design in rings, a most intelligent one bound
the wall with wire brace wondrously together.
Bright were the castle buildings, many the bathing-halls,
high the abundance of gables, great the noise of the multitude,
many a meadhall full of festivity,
until Fate the mighty changed that.
Far and wide the slain perished, days of pestilence came,
death took all the brave men away;
their places of war became deserted places,
the city decayed. The rebuilders perished,
the armies to earth. And so these buildings grow desolate,
and this red-curved roof parts from its tiles
of the ceiling-vault. The ruin has fallen to the ground
broken into mounds, where at one time many a warrior,
joyous and ornamented with gold-bright splendour,
proud and flushed with wine shone in war-trappings;
looked at treasure, at silver, at precious stones,
at wealth, at prosperity, at jewellery,
at this bright castle of a broad kingdom.
The stone buildings stood, a stream threw up heat
in wide surge; the wall enclosed all
in its bright bosom, where the baths were,
hot in the heart. That was convenient.
Then they let pour_______________
hot streams over grey stone.
un___________ _____________
until the ringed sea (circular pool?) hot
_____________where the baths were.
Then is_______________________
__________re, that is a noble thing,
to the house__________ castle_______

this only might be part of the ruin stuff. But hey, it will certainly hit Exeter High street soon...

This one will also hit street soon.

To find out what is going on and and discuss ways your might intervene, just email
Su2044@eclipse.co.uk, and say which.