Jeff Higley, Kate Pyper, Michael Ormiston Marie-Gabrielle Rotie & Nick Parkin
9th – 11th May 2000, Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust, Tout Quarry, Portland, Dorset
The piece explored the nature of the limestone quarry both through the stone iself and the lives of the quarrymen. Music based on the work chants used by the quarrymen provided a ground against which rock climbing, cairn building and singing sought to evoke a vanished world. Whereas modern quarry techniques leave behind an empty wasteland, the careful hand building of walls and walkways that were an essential part of pre-mechanised work created an intricate maze of rich environments.
The images depict dancer Kate Pyper creating the stone blossom for the performance in Tout Quarry. The development of the piece was facilitated by the Portland Sculpture Trust.
The piece was later performed at Stag Place in Victoria and at Three-Mill Island as part of the Land Art and Land Use Conference in 2000.
It was funded by London Arts as part of a research and development fund.
