The Extraordinary in the Everyday

This programme of exhibitions and events ran from July 2022 until October 2022 and explored the extraordinary in the everyday, highlighting the creativity within our community. The main exhibition, The Extraordinary in the Everyday, was produced by creative ageing charity, Equal Arts. There was also an installation in the ground floor pod, South Tyneside Scribe, produced by artist Laur Fitton which used reportage drawing to document life in South Tyneside. As part of the programme, there was also a touring exhibition, Home Alone, created by Sharon Bailey which told the day-to-day experience and untold stories of living alone.

ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY IN THE EVERYDAY EXHIBITION

An exhibition in partnership with Equal Arts.

The Extraordinary in the Everyday exhibition aimed to connect different parts of our communities, both young and older, through a range of creative activity.

Features of the exhibition were made with local groups in South Tyneside.

Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to get involved and add to the exhibition. Using their imagination, they created their own artwork and helped the exhibition grow over the months.

Key features of the exhibition included:

• Jubilee Dress – A dress by artist Caroline Collinge, made up of hand folded paper flowers created with residents of Harton Grange Care Home in South Shields. The flowers were inspired by the floral symbols on the Queen’s coronation dress.
• The Wonderland – A fantastic Wonderland landscape inspired by South Tyneside. Visitors were encourage to think about their favourite landmark in South Tyneside and create a picture or pattern to add to the Wonderland. Templates and art materials were provided in the exhibition space and a range of events were held for all ages to enjoy.
• ‘Listen In’ artwork –Visitors were able to share their thoughts and experiences about living in and visiting South Tyneside through creating a fun paper game. Workshops were held where children, families and people of all ages could get involved.

To listen to the audio tour of the exhibition visit:

ABOUT SOUTH TYNESIDE SCRIBE BY LAURA FITTON

This exhibition used reportage drawing to document life in South Tyneside from late 2019 through to 2022. This documentation allowed us to stop and reflect on everyday moments we can often take for granted. Originally scheduled to be shown in April 2020, the project was paused until it could be picked up again in person in 2022. Drawing first hand in locations like football matches, cafés, local landmarks, pubs, markets and more, Laur Fitton reflected on the many different places and people that make up South Tyneside, the stories they tell and the everyday creativity they demonstrate.

Reportage drawing is a method of illustration where artists create a drawing on location to tell stories and showcase moments going on around them. Like a private detective or journalist, the artist is sent out to follow their nose, exploring an area through making work.

ABOUT HOME ALONE

The Home Alone touring exhibition was a living room installation made up of objects, pictures and an audio diary that told the day-to-day experience of living alone, an experience that a growing number of older people in communities face.

For eight months, Sharon Bailey visited older people across the northeast who live by themselves, stuck in their homes for long periods of time.  She photographed and recorded conversations with them, spending hours talking and listening. ‘Home Alone’ brought these untold stories and images out of the houses and into public spaces.

The installation included photographs made in people’s homes, diary excerpts and featured a specially commissioned monologue which was inspired by Sharon Bailey’s diaries and used many of the older people’s own words.

The exhibition was available to view at Bilton Hall Community Trust, Cleadon Park and Ocean Road Community Centre. There was also a series of workshops and events held alongside the exhibition, including workshops for carers and for people aged 55, plus a performance with creative and Q&A sessions.