It represents the first set of public art to open at the residential development. The standalone sculptures have been intricately designed to cleverly emulate pieces of paper in Corten Steel.
Talented artist Kerry Lemon was commissioned to undertake the works by Maidstone based Public Art Consultants FrancisKnight. Previous clients of Kerry include The National Trust, BBC and Great Ormond Street Hospital, working on projects inspired by travel, local plant life, landscapes and histories.
Kerry and FrancisKnight have spent months engaging with former mill workers, paper specialists and archaeologists to ensure the sculptures and other works truly reflect the site’s heritage and local importance. The artist also worked with pupils from North Borough Primary School and Valley Park School in Maidstone on creative paper sculpture workshops where they had the opportunity to design their own sculptures and learn about the how artists work in the public realm. Kerry was able to consult the students on her plans for the site’s artwork and incorporate their ideas into the final work.
After years of research and preparation, the sculptures were unveiled in a formal ceremony on Friday 24th September, where members of the community, former mill workers, ward councillors and local students were invited to attend.
Ben Fewsdale, Managing Director for the South East, comments: “It is fantastic to see this project come to fruition and we are so pleased to be able to host a formal ceremony with members of the local community and employees of Springfield Mill, all of whom have contributed to the work. Public art is such an important way of remembering the past while building the future, and we hope the sculptures sufficiently honour the rich heritage of the mill, the innovation it represents and those who worked there over the years.”
Kerry Lemon comments: “I am incredibly proud of this work and indebted to the generosity of the community who enabled my intensive research and provided feedback throughout the project. This is a historically important site and I have loved the opportunity to uncover the hidden stories and celebrate the rich heritage for generations to come.”
Laura Knight, Co-founder and Director at FrancisKnight, comments: “We have developed a great working relationship with Redrow, who understand the real value that artists and public art can bring to a development. Engagement has been at the heart of these artworks at Springfield, celebrating and interpreting heritage with a contemporary vision.”
A Heritage Walk and Button Walk, both expected to launch in early 2022, are the other elements of the public art, the public and homeowners will be able to enjoy. The Heritage Walk will be indicated by a series of highly tactile cast iron illustrated roundels, positioned throughout the site to guide pedestrians around the development using designated footpaths.
The final piece of artwork, aptly named the Button Walk, will focus around the millpond where buttons and other fastenings were discarded after the textiles had been sorted in the Rag House. A new pathway will be built parallel to the existing path, containing a series of highly decorative and deeply embossed granite paving stones. All of which will feature the buttons, buckles, clasps and corset stays found at the location.
In addition to the artwork, we are retaining many architectural elements of the factory. Current works are taking place to maintain and restore the initial Rag Room, which will soon be used for community purposes.
To find out more about the development and homes available to buy, please visit The Mill at Springfield.
