River Pigments
River Medlock is a dynamic element that passes through a key area in Manchester: Mayfield. The river has a rich history,and its sediments contain layers of temporality and colour, which are all visible in the industrial walls and its polluted water.
The architecture of the project is rooted in uncovering the history of the river and celebrating its presence within the Mayfield community. Its rich colourist background serves as a starting point for the programme. From grey to red, and green, the river has gone through a lot of changes during the Industrial Revolution, being left aside in stagnation for many years after that.
The project offers a mix of environmental and artistic programmes, which aim to purify the water from the river. The relationship between them reinforces a state of awareness within the community and aims to set an example on how to actively address the climate emergency. The focus is directed on celebrating water and the importance of purifying it, as well as how an artistic process can be used to solve an environmental issue.
Oil pigments are produced from the chemicals and toxins extracted from the purification processes, which are thereupon used in different activities in the proposed workshop spaces. People from the community will be able to take home a piece of the river, while some of them will exhibit their creations in the gallery spaces. The scheme makes use of the current habitat on site, allowing it to drive the project further, by creating green corridors, and spaces where both nature, water, and animals can co-exist.
The 10 images focus on telling the story of the project, by using the river as an object of navigation.
