Katie Paterson: First there is a Mountain

Sunday 9 June 2019
Katie Paterson: First there is a Mountain | Sunday 9 June 2019 |

First there is a Mountain is a new participatory artwork which invites participants to sculpt beaches into mountains of sand to form micro-geologies, using a series of ‘buckets and spades’ made in the form of world mountains: Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Shasta (USA), Mount Fuji (Asia), Stromboli (Europe) and Uluru (Oceania).

The artwork will tour to 25 venues. CCA Derry~Londonderry is presenting the project in partnership with the National Trust at Portstewart Strand.

The artwork will tour twenty-five high profile coastal art venues around the UK, who will each stage a sand pail building event on their local beach. This artwork will be on Portstewart Strand on 9 June 2019 and you are invited to help sculpt Portstewart Strand into thousands of mountains of sand to form micro-geologies. One of the key concepts of this artwork is to invite you to slow down and consider the interconnectedness of the world, from shifting coastlines across millennia, to our own eroding coastline

Fifty sets of buckets and spades will be available to use on the day. The ‘buckets’ are specially created hollow scale models of five of the world’s most famous mountains: Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Shasta (North America), Mount Fuji (Asia), Stromboli (Europe), and Uluru (Oceania).

25 writers have been invited to write a text, one for each location of the tour. Katie Paterson has invited Patrick Barkham, natural history writer for The Guardian newspaper, to write the text for Portstewart Strand, which will be read aloud on the day.

How to take part:
There are three ways to get involved:
1. Be a part of making this incredible event happen by becoming a National Trust volunteer (contact volunteernorthcoast@nationaltrust.org.uk )
2. Take part in building the mountain ranges as a participant, all ages and abilities welcome! Turn up at any time between 11am and 3pm to join in.
3. As a viewer – come and watch Portstewart Strand transform into a mountain range and watch as the tide carries the mountains into the sea at the end of the day.

If you would like to follow this artwork as it travels around the country keep up to date via the First There is a Mountain project website.

First There is a Mountain is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and Arts Council England.

Sunday 9 June 2019
Portstewart Strand
Portstewart
County Derry~Londonderry
Admission / price: Free

 
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