Artwork made in tribute to the NHS opens at Delapré Abbey this Friday

Posted on 4th April 20227th April 2022 by Delapré Abbey

Created from hospital bed sheets, this poignant piece by artist Luke Jerram will be exhibited on the Abbey’s South Lawn, with a free programme of events for the public to get involved in.

Opening on Friday 8^th April, In Memoriam is a temporary memorial for the public to visit and remember all those we have lost from the Covid-19 pandemic. The artwork is also made in tribute to all the NHS health and care workers who have been risking their lives during the crisis.

Presented in the open air against the backdrop of the Abbey, the structure – which is arranged in the form of a medical logo – allows people to enter, contemplate and explore the artwork.

Luke Jerram says: “We’ve all been impacted and have had our lives turned upside down by the pandemic. Many people are grieving for loved ones they’ve lost, whilst others are living with long covid and missing the lives they used to have.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, it feels like we need a place to reflect upon what we’ve been through and remember those we’ve lost. I hope this artwork can act as a safe place for people to visit, to contemplate and remember.”

Richard Clinton, Chief Executive, Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust added: “We are delighted to bring Luke Jerram’s In Memoriam to Northampton. Through the artwork and the accompanying activities, we hope to provide the community with a space to contemplate and process the past two years.”

Alongside the exhibition there will be artwork created by the local community. In response to In Memoriam, The Curator Educator has worked with local schools (Delapre Primary, The Abbey Primary School and Queen Eleanor Primary Academy) to create artwork inspired by Tibetan prayer flags that encapsulates the children’s experiences during the pandemic. These will be displayed in the grounds of the Abbey for all to see. Visitors will be encouraged to add to the artwork which will grow throughout the exhibition.

In addition, Warts and All Theatre will exhibit responses to a community call-out. 50 quotes, feelings and thoughts from local residents, reflecting on the pandemic, will be exhibited on large boards around the grounds of the Abbey.

There will be a programme of activities and events for the public to get involved in:

On Sunday 10^th April at 11am, Northamptonshire Walks will lead a short walk starting and ending at the Abbey, enabling participants to take in the artwork and surrounding area in an informal way.
On 13^th, 19^th and 21^st April (between 3-8pm), arts organisation Fevered Sleep will lead a series of Grief Gatherings in various locations across the town. Please note that these sessions have been postponed, new dates will be announced shortly. Please register your interest in attending one of these grief gatherings by emailing info@delapreabbey.org
18^thApril, 6:30pm: Explore how you see the world with a photography workshop.
19^thApril, 7:30pm: Using the artwork as a stimulus, learn how to respond through creative writing.

In Memoriam was originally commissioned by the Weston Arts + Health Weekender and has subsequently toured the UK and Europe. The display at Delapré Abbey has been made possible through support from Northampton Town Council’s Community Grant Scheme.

In Memoriam will be exhibited at Delapré Abbey from Friday 8^th till Monday 18^th April. Entry is free.

In Memoriam by Luke Jerram commissioned by the Weston Arts + Health Weekender. Supported by Without Walls and FESTIVAL.ORG. Informed by the Wellcome Trust-funded ‘Weather Lives’ project, led by Dr Cassie Phoenix at Durham University.

june, 2023

Filter Events

thu25mayAll Daythu13julThis Grief ThingGrief gatherings are small, free group conversations about grief and they're open to all.(All Day)

Event Details

Thu 25th May – Sat 29th July, various times and locations
Free, booking required
Sessions will last a maximum of 2 hours

This Grief Thing is a project that invites people to think, talk and learn about grief. We’re living at a time when many people find death and grief – our own grief or other people’s – almost impossible to talk about. We don’t know what to say, what to do, or how to act. So we stay silent, we pretend that grief doesn’t exist, or we hide it. This Grief Thing pushes against this, by opening up conversations about grief and making it visible.

As part of our wellbeing programme we are pleased to be working with Fevered Sleep who have created Grief Gatherings. They’re small, free group conversations about grief and they’re open to all. They’re for people who have experienced grief, and for people who haven’t. This will be an inclusive space. Any age, gender, race, faith welcome.
We’ll share thoughts, feelings, ideas and experiences. If you don’t wish to talk that’s fine, people are welcome to just be present.

This project is a partnership between Delapré Abbey and Fevered Sleep and is funded by Northamptonshire Community Foundation.

Dates and Locations

Thu 25th May, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham

Mon 5th June, 6:30-8:30pm, Saints Coffee
This Grief Thing host: David Bowden

Thu 15th June, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham

Sat 24th June, 2-4pm, Delapré Abbey
This Grief Thing host: Lisa Lovett

Mon 10th July, 6:30pm-8:30pm, Saints Coffee
This Grief Thing host: David Bowden

Thu 13th July, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham

Sat 29th July, 2-4pm, Delapré Abbey
This Grief Thing host: Lisa Lovett

How to get to each location

Saints Coffee: 62 St Giles’ St, Northampton NN1 1JW (map)

Umbrella Fair: Racecourse Pavilion, Kettering Rd, Northampton NN1 4LG (map)

Delapré Abbey (this session will be held in our Library): London Road, Northampton, NN4 8AW (map)

Meet the hosts

Laura Graham
Laura Graham is a freelance writer and content creator based in Northampton. In 2009 she lost her mum to breast cancer, a loss that changed her life and taught her about the complexities of grief. She went on to work for a local charity on a project to support people coming towards the end of life. She believes that grief is the last taboo and hopes that grief gatherings will enable participants to feel connected and seen by their community.

David Bowden
Dave Bowden – A.K.A Word Guerrilla – is a poet and performer. Utilising beatboxing, live looping and multi-instrumentalism, he delivers Word Guerrilla’s unique brand of spoken word poetry performances and workshops to a variety of different educational settings, workplaces and events across the country. As an educator and creative facilitator, he seeks to generate creativity in people through writing, empowering them with language and words.
He believes that grief is ever- present, and like bits of glitter: long after you think it has gone, it continues to turn up everywhere, often unexpectedly. It can be challenging to make sense of grief and adapt to it. Dave wants to facilitate grief gatherings to help others understand the experience, giving them a space to articulate how they think and feel about the process of grieving and help others adapt to the experience of grief.

Time

May 25 (Thursday) - July 13 (Thursday)

Buy here

Book Tickets

Calendar GoogleCal

sun28may(may 28)11:00 amsun29oct(oct 29)4:00 amExhibition: "The Walled Garden Was Magical"An exhibition of your memories of the gardens.(may 28) 11:00 am - (october 29) 4:00 am

Event Details

Sunday 28th May – Sunday 29th October
11am-4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
Entry included in the price of general admission (£8 adults, under 18s free)

“The walled garden was magical… the absolute treasure.” Councillor David Smith

This exhibition explores the vast history of Delapré Abbey’s gardens and tells the stories of those who have worked here over the centuries to make beautiful outdoor spaces for the house owners and, subsequently, for the general public to enjoy.

There have been gardens here since the opening of the nunnery in 1145. On Saturday 19^th July 1952, Delapré Abbey’s gardens opened to the public and have continued to be a place open for all to enjoy. As Alderman J.V. Collier said upon their opening 71 years ago: “The gardens offer a haven of rest away from the milling crowds. Within almost a stone’s throw of the centre of the town, we have something unique.”

Timed to coincide with the centenary year of Delapré Abbey’s water garden, the exhibition captures and celebrates the local communities’ memories of Delapré through photos, text, ephemera and oral history.

Whether you enjoyed the walled garden as a child, have attended a wedding here, or discovered the grounds during one of the Covid-19 lockdowns, we want this exhibition to encourage visitors to tell their friends and loved ones about any existing memories they have made here while making new ones together.

Photo: John Pettitt