COMMUNITIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION Communities under Construction is a three year programme of residencies at Wysing Arts Centre in which the selected artists work within and in response to the villages and communities surrounding Wysing Arts Centre. During the early part of 2009, and throughout the summer, artists A Kassen, Helen Stratford and Townley and Bradby were in-residence together at Wysing, living and working at the Centre. The exhibition was formed entirely of work produced by the artists during their residency period and developed in collaboration with individuals and groups in the village of Bourn and in the new settlement of Cambourne.

TOWNLEY AND BRADBY’S work functions primarily as a framework through which others can reflect on their surroundings. This reflection is often playful and invites participation. For their residency, Townley and Bradby spent three months living at Wysing with their children. Often working in collaboration with their children, they created an intimate portrait of the landscape and the communities around Wysing Arts Centre. They developed and tested out a variety of tactics to inhabit open spaces in and around Bourn and Cambourne, as well as making journeys across South Cambridgeshire. One event involved chalking out the swift, complicated and coordinated patterns of car parking outside the village nursery at drop-off time. In another event Townley and Bradby took a 1.5 metre wide inflatable red ball to the edge of Cambourne. They used the ball to measure and activate fields that will be covered with houses within the next few years.

ArtReview Magazine, Laura Allsop: http://www.artreview.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1474022:BlogPost:849999

Frieze Magazine, Jonathan Griffin: http://www.frieze.com/blog/entry/heavens_above/

Communities under Construction is funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Arts Council England East. A Kassen is supported by the Danish Arts Council and Danish Embassy in London. With thanks to Little Hands Nursery, Nicole Simpson, Jamie Wilkes, Sally Davies, Richard and Judith Townley, Donald Bradby, Oliver Hein, Crystal Valeting Ltd, Comberton Playgroup, Trademark Collections, Robin & Isabelle, Michelle, Mark and others who helped with the Unplanned Journey, Sarah Evans (photo credit Townley & Bradby’s work Roadside Sounds).