Production Shot, Rural Export, 2013
Actor - Tom Kitching
The relationship between food, land and culture is explored further in Rural Export. This piece of work was born out of conversations with Slovakian workers in the hospitality trade in Borrowdale Valley, the Lake District. Inspired by the health benefits of Sheeps milk Julia and the community created the first batch of Cheese ever to be made in 'recorded' history from the milk of the iconic Herdwick Sheep. The Herdwick had not been milked for dairy production before, as they are upland grazing animals and the milk is suckled by their young. By working with several farms in the Valley, she gathered milk from Herdwick Ewes over a period of six months. The cheese was then made in the local Institute, where the community was invited to watch and learn the whole process. The piece was intended to trigger a potential economy to combat the dwindling price of the wool and meat industry and to re-evaluate traditional notions of the 'rural idyll'. It culminated in a cheese tasting and darts performance that encouraged participation and was accompanied by the short film Rural Export .
The work was selected by LICA Gallery, Lancaster and a team of curators for the C-Art 2013 group show. The Cheese matured for two months in the exhibition, and was then presented to the community it was made in, and eaten.
Actor - Tom Kitching
The relationship between food, land and culture is explored further in Rural Export. This piece of work was born out of conversations with Slovakian workers in the hospitality trade in Borrowdale Valley, the Lake District. Inspired by the health benefits of Sheeps milk Julia and the community created the first batch of Cheese ever to be made in 'recorded' history from the milk of the iconic Herdwick Sheep. The Herdwick had not been milked for dairy production before, as they are upland grazing animals and the milk is suckled by their young. By working with several farms in the Valley, she gathered milk from Herdwick Ewes over a period of six months. The cheese was then made in the local Institute, where the community was invited to watch and learn the whole process. The piece was intended to trigger a potential economy to combat the dwindling price of the wool and meat industry and to re-evaluate traditional notions of the 'rural idyll'. It culminated in a cheese tasting and darts performance that encouraged participation and was accompanied by the short film Rural Export .
The work was selected by LICA Gallery, Lancaster and a team of curators for the C-Art 2013 group show. The Cheese matured for two months in the exhibition, and was then presented to the community it was made in, and eaten.
Film Still. 'Rural Export'. Duration 6 min
The Short Film 'Rural Export' explores several Lakeland archetypes through a slow unwinding of one mans unusual ascent of England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike. Carrying an easel under one arm, the protagonist silently walks through cloud, wind and slate slated pathways to finally assemble a game of darts on the peak.
The Short Film 'Rural Export' explores several Lakeland archetypes through a slow unwinding of one mans unusual ascent of England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike. Carrying an easel under one arm, the protagonist silently walks through cloud, wind and slate slated pathways to finally assemble a game of darts on the peak.
(Above Photograph ) Documenting the herding of a large flock of Herdwicks
Langstrath from Borrowdale (a nine mile stretch), 2013
The work would not have been possible without the generosity of the local farming community, who helped milk their Ewes.
Langstrath from Borrowdale (a nine mile stretch), 2013
The work would not have been possible without the generosity of the local farming community, who helped milk their Ewes.
