At the heart of Sea Like a Mirror, is a newly commissioned artwork, White Horses, by Ivan Morison, from the collaborative practice of Heather Peak and Ivan Morison. Commissioned to mark the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), it is inspired by the profound legacy of their life-saving work and the special status its volunteer crews occupy in the collective consciousness of our island nation.
Produced through a series of visits to lifeboat stations and seaside towns around the coastline, and in close collaboration with those who hold a deep connection to the water, including oyster fishers, windfarm technicians, wild swimmers, the work explores the sea’s innate duality as a place of wonder and peril, and the myriad roles it plays for coastal communities.
This travelling work, housed within a unique, custom-made sculptural tent will be installed on the seafront, immersing audiences in the stories of RNLI crew and local people from around our coastline. Within this structure, Ivan’s new work, White Horses, will be screened using 16mm projection and accompanied by live music from local musicians,presenting a multifaceted portrait of the sea and the nation’s coastal towns, bringing together six diverse locations, each linked by the lifeboat station at the centre of their community.
White Horses Screenings
- Friday 13th June – 2pm to 3pm, 4:30pm to 5:30pm & 7:30pm to 8:30pm
- Saturday 14th June – 2pm to 3pm, 4:30pm to 5:30pm & 7:30pm to 8:30pm
- Sunday 15th June – 2pm to 3pm, 4:30pm to 5:30pm & 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Film screenings are free, but booking is advisable due to limited capacity within the tent. Seating is available along with some standing room and floor space at the front for young people or adults who can get down and back up again safely!
In each setting, White Horses will be accompanied by a series of commissions by local artists, made in collaboration with the area’s community.
Shifting Sands
Lynsey Powels, an artist based in the East Marsh of Grimsby, has over two decades of experience as a community artist in the area. For the past ten years she has organised the Cleethorpes Urban Arts Festival, bringing live art, music and dance to the resort. As part of Shifting Sands, Lynsey will run a number of workshops for young people from the TickArt Office arts hub at Cleethorpes Station, where they will be invited to think about the ever-changing sandscape, to consider its visual impact as well as its bearing on safety. Over time the beach scene has altered dramatically, through wind and weather and nature reclaiming areas to create a saltmarsh haven for wildlife, with hidden creaks and fast incoming tide. The sand seemingly stretches for miles when the tide is out, tempting people to walk out and explore, unaware of its hidden dangers. Many rescues must be made throughout the year. Workshops will include gathering found objects, working up designs and trial working with sand before the final SandArt Creations are made.
We Are the Weather
Beccy Owen, a good friend of East Marsh United, is a Welsh – born songwriter, singer, musical director and composer based in the Northeast of England. She will run a series of creative composition workshops with children from St Mary’s Catholic Primary Academy, William Barcroft Junior School and Phoenix Park Academy. Based on a method of music-making taking wildness, resilience, changeable weather and tides as both literal inspiration and metaphors for wellbeing and mental health, featuring a finished piece that includes composition, sound design, song, improvisational aspects and field recordings. The finished result will be a 3 – 4-minute musical snapshot of the young people’s ideas, reflecting their connection to the weather on the day – both their internal mood and the external conditions – and drawn from material generated across 3 workshops. This piece will be both recorded and performable.
Sea Like a Mirror is a partnership project led by Cement Fields, with Art Gene, Norfolk & Norwich Festival, North East Lincolnshire Council & East Marsh United, and Super Culture. With thanks to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Supported with public funding from Arts Council England. Presented in Gravesend for Estuary 2025 with Estuary Festival.
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