The film was seeded as part of a layered account of an inquiry into ‘red’ that emerged out of a collective biography workshop
The colour red
A particular material context. What else is there? A moment in red. She sits sifting, letting the most immediate conversation settle; slips sideways, focuses on the dark red darning on pink gloves, the cross hatching and patching, the reforming of a hole, covering over but still being present and the found object at her feet – metal with a hole not perfectly spherical, a little off kilter. The need to hold, press sharp edges into flesh, leave marks. She tries to let go, let herself drift back to the words, to the ribbons of paths, overlaid now with red enamel lines on visual re- imaginings. But also being pulled sideways to a memory of red blotching and staining of skin, under the skin as the blood settled and mottled, patterned. Still, not rushing and fluid. Still. She couldn’t believe, comprehend lack of movement and her mind kept putting it back in a flicker of eyelid, a breath because then it wasn’t end. It wasn’t this, it wasn’t cold, clammy mottled flesh of deadweight, of death. It was rosy-hued, it was rose-tinted, blush and bloom of coy seduction, pulse of blood through veins of movement, of life. But the memory of weight brings her back, the memory of blood on her gloved fingertips from behind the skull.
She wonders/wanders about walking the paths of the Glory Wood in the glass dress spilling redribbon and ash, an unravelling.
Kneehigh Theatre’s representation of severed feet, stumps of legs with red ribbons falling beautiful and profane, poetic, visceral; to cover, re-cover, uncover, weave and knot, interleave-leave.
Red-lining of an unworn jacket with red stitching detail on the sleeve and red buttons, softest, inky dark blue needlecord. It had to be that jacket, one as yet unpaid for, unworn, kept for the right occasion – coffin attire and red socks; soft climbing socks with horizon embroidered across the toe and red darning- markers of love and care. Kirkpatrick D (2013).
It has been shown as part of the Exhibition Every day for a year, co-curated with Carol Laidler at Back Lane West, Redruth and at The F Block Gallery Bristol and as part of performative papers at conferences.
Credits: Soundtrack: Sam Hardaker, Additional Sound: Jane Bailey Cameras: Ryan Sharpe, Jez Marshall, Mark Guthrie, Sean Benney, Young Davina: Emilie Rowell, Bear: Ian Kirkpatrick Childcare: Mary O’Reilly Production Assistants: Sarah Hunkin, David Bunce.