From 17th September 2020 a series of big ideas from this year’s Festival were projected across the city; including leaping salmon, dancing robots and interesting fungi. In a time where we were unable to be inside together we took the festival outside and provided opportunities to showcase the work of artists and academics safely.
Artist statement
Steve Pool is a visual artist that helps people realise their ideas. He projected content from this year’s festival across the city.
I love projecting for Festival of the Mind: so many great projects, so much content and so many extraordinary ideas. It’s exciting to see what happens when artists and academics collaborate.
Local artists and conservation experts come together to celebrate the regeneration of the River Don and the return of the iconic Atlantic salmon.
Highlights include the Salmon of Steel itself, a 7ft sculpture of a leaping salmon made by Scrap Metal Artist Jason Heppenstall; a beautiful trail map, illustrated by Sophie Carter; and a podcast in which invited speakers reveal the story of the river.
The project grew out of an earlier collaboration between the Don Catchment Rivers Trust and Dr Deborah Dawson, a conservation geneticist at the University, investigating the return of Atlantic salmon to Sheffield after an absence of 220 years.
The sculpture
During the Industrial revolution large structures called weirs were built across the river. The weirs powered water mills which fuelled Sheffield’s early steel industry.
Weirs still remain in the river today and block the migration routes of fish, including Salmon, preventing them from reaching their spawning grounds in Sheffield. Many organisations have been working together to provide fish passage solutions along the Don, bringing Salmon back to the Steel City.
The Salmon of Steel sculpture was commissioned to celebrate the return of Atlantic Salmon to Sheffield after over 220 years of absence.
Ingredients: Recycled cutlery, 1533 spoons (scales), 60 metres of stainless bar, 2 1960s lamps (eyes),1 spade (label)
Recipe: Each spoon was hit with a 3lb hammer 10 times. TIG welding allowed colours to be added and these are enhanced by laquer to give a wet shiny appearance and bring out the colours
See the sculpture at Sheffield Station from 14th September 2020
The artist
I endeavour to create sculptures that are appreciated for their aesthetic appeal as well as the fascination aroused from the eclectic components used
Jason Heppenstall
Artist Jason Heppenstall was born in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire and brought up on a postwar council estate where he started an apprenticeship in sheet metal. Working with steel for nearly 30 years taught Jason how it behaves and can be manipulated. Jason started making sculptures as a hobby, tinkering in the garage with scrap metal. In 2013 Jason took the plunge to become a self-employed artist. In 2017, Jason was commissioned by IKEA to create “Allen” the peregrine falcon from 17,000 allen keys, now on display near the University of Sheffield’s Diamond Building.
The Steel City river trail
Follow the river as it flows through the Steel City on a journey through time. Discover how the power of Sheffield’s rivers defended early settlers and fuelled industry. Uncover how booming industry led to the disappearance of salmon, and find out how organisations across Sheffield have worked to get them back. Why not follow the trail from Kelham Island all the way to Sheffield Station to see the Salmon of Steel Sculpture.
Salmon of Steel Trail – a self guided walk – Map illustrated by Sophie Carter
The map can be viewed on your mobile device. The trail has some narrow paths so please be aware of others on your journey. Good footwear is recommended as the ground can be slippery and uneven. The trail is accessible and cyclable.
Listen to the podcast that accompanies the trail below:
Sophie Carter is an illustrator based in rural Essex. Heavily inspired by the surrounding countryside, she enjoys drawing all things wildlife related, especially fungi and birds.
The Team
To read more on Dr Deborah Dawson’s work, visit their University of Sheffield staff page
Sheffield’s rivers and waterways and the wildlife that depend on them are looked after and monitored by a range of organisations and volunteer groups including:
The University of Sheffield
Sheffield City Council*
Don Catchment Rivers Trust*
Yorkshire Water*
Environment Agency*
Five Weirs Walk Trust
Blue Loop Troop
Canal & Rivers Trust
Upper Don Trail Trust
River Stewardship Company
The Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust
The Sorby Natural History Society
The Wild Trout Trust
The Riverfly Partnership
Sorby Breck Ringing Group
Sheffield Bird Study Group
Several organisations (marked *) have also worked to improve fish passage on the River Don.
This vitally important art installation uses ceramics to depict the impact of domestic violence and abuse (DVA). To create works that reflect the physical, psychological and emotional effects of DVA, artist Angie Hardwick has collaborated with Dr Parveen Ali (Health Sciences School). In a series of consultations, survivors discussed those effects. The artworks incorporate their words, giving the installation a powerful immediacy which Angie hopes will help raise awareness of DVA and give hope to others.
The gallery
The installation presents over 100 ceramic figures, 33 of which are ‘damaged’, – representing 33% of women that are affected by Domestic Abuse. The installation raises awareness and highlights the 5 areas of abuse. Verbal, sexual, physical, mental and coercive abuse.
The team
For more information about Dr Parveen Ali’s work, visit her staff page or follow her on Twitter @parveenazamali
Examples of physical IPV include beating, kicking, slapping, pushing, shoving, dragging, biting, stabbing, scratching, hitting with or without a weapon, choking, threatening or using a gun, knife or any other weapon to cause physical suffering to the victim.
2. Psychological abuse
This refers to the use of behaviours to insult and control an intimate partner. Examples of psychological IPV may include criticising, name-calling, blackmailing, blaming, threatening to beat the victim or their children, restricting the victim’s movement, stalking, restricting access to health and social care, family and friends, humiliating and belittling the victim in public or private.
3. Sexual abuse
This can take the form of forcing sexual acts, coercing a partner into sexual acts, making unwanted sexual comments, forcing a partner to perform or engage in sexual acts that they find unacceptable, degrading or humiliating.
4. Financial/economic abuse
Financial or economic abuse refer to controlling a person’s ability to acquire, use and maintain their own money and resources. An abuser may prevent a women from working to earn her own money (not letting her go to work; sabotaging job interviews, taking the welfare benefits she is entitled to), using their money without consent, building up debts in her name, damaging her property and possessions, withholding maintenance payments etc.
5. Controlling behaviours
A specific characteristic of IPV is the presence of coercive control which refers to a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour. At times, coercive control is used in the absence of physical and sexual abuse and is more difficult to spot. It is now a criminal offence in some countries such as the UK. If the abuser is found guilty of coercively controlling the victim, they can be sentenced to up to 5 years in prison, made to pay a fine or both.
DVA Support Services
Due to the high prevalence of domestic violence and abuse, it is possible that people engaging with the installation may have been affected by domestic abuse themselves. This may be as children growing up in households were a parent was being abused, experiencing domestic abuse directly from a current or ex-partner, or supporting a friend or family member who is experiencing abuse.
We regret that we are unable to provide direct support. However, here is some information of sources of support.
There are a range of services available locally for women who are victims or survivors of domestic abuse. You can ring the Helpline on 0808 808 2241 for advice and support, to find out which services can help and to get in touch with other services. Or you can contact organisations directly.
In an emergency ring 999. Domestic abuse is taken very seriously by the police.
Sheffield Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 808 2241; Monday – Friday : 8am – 7pm (not bank holidays), Saturday 9am – 5pm; Outside of these hours call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Through this exciting blend of theatre and technology, children and families created their own adventures.
Researchers from our innovative School of Education collaborated with award-winning theatre company Khayaal to create this digital theatre experience, which combined storytelling expertise with innovative research on the role of play in children’s education.
Khayaal were brilliant at helping us to develop ideas for a play-based event and rose to the challenge of creating a range of dynamic digital content.
Dr Yinka Olusoga
The activity
We wanted families to have their own play adventure and so we sent out FREE maker kits with resources to support making and play.
The bits in the kit helped them to use things around their homes, such as old cardboard or recycling to make costumes, props and models to include in their adventure.
A Minecraft sword or a rocket to fly to the moon? A fancy light-up hat or a secret garden for your pet snail! It was their unique adventure and they could do what they liked. We also provided videos to guide them through the making process.
The ‘How To’ videos were accessible via our online portal through an app called Flipgrid. Here, users had the opportunity to share what they were making on the portal.
The Team
To read more on Dr Yinka Olusoga’s work, visit their staff page or follow her on Twitter @YinkaOlusoga
To read more on Dr Alison Buxton’s work, visit their staff page or follow her on Twitter @MakerEdUK
To read more on the MakerFutures project, visit makerfutures.org
To read more on Khayaal Theatre Company, visit khayaal.co.uk
Artist Jo Peel has collaborated with Professor Duncan Cameron, co-director of the University’s Institute for Sustainable Food, to produce a sculptural installation and associated thought-provoking film about our changing relationship with food during lockdown.
When panic buying hit the news, many of us realised for the first time that food sustainability and food security are issues that affect us all. Common Ground deals with people’s real experiences and highlights the importance of Duncan’s research on urban farming and alternative methods of food production.
Adventurous artists Sylvia Causer and Sheila Wetton have teamed up with biologist Dr Gavin Thomas to highlight the plight of endangered species and the price we all pay when biodiversity is threatened.
As well knowing a thing or two about biodiversity, Gavin is the curator of the University’s Alfred Denny Zoological Museum, a treasure trove of weird and wonderful specimens, including some creatures you may never have heard of.
With Gavin as their expert guide, Sylvia and Sheila embarked on a project of painstaking detail, learning the science of bone, feathers and fur to produce a series of 30 closely observed drawings. These astonishing artworks bring rarely seen animals and birds to vivid life.
The illustrations
Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Flying Fish (Exocoetus sp.)
Seahorse (Hippocampus sp.)
Vertical swimming shrimp fish (Centriscus sp.)
Dogfish (Squalus sp.)
Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis)
Central American Coral Snake (Micrurus nigrocinctus)
