Spectacular art performance event by leading contemporary artist Emma Smith

Emma Smith is an artist whose work uses places, histories and happenings as raw materials. Her works often take the form of collective actions or performances, such as the recent ‘Whistling Orchestra’ which she created in Nottingham.  She is based in Cambridge and is an artist of international renown.  For this commission Emma Smith has realised a programme of free events entitled HUNCH.  These have ranged from historic walking tours to a springtime ‘Skipathon’ event and the project will culminate in a large-scale performance work, choreographed around the floor plans of the vast feasts that were held on Parker’s Piece, most notably in1838 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria.

HUNCH art performance event on 7 October 3-6pm, Parker’s Piece

Throughout the HUNCH project Emma Smith has been collecting future wishes, predictions and imaginings from residents of Cambridge inspired by historic predictions and future insights on Parker’s Piece. These include the invention of football rules on Parker’s Piece and the predicted success of the automobile by University Arms Hotel both of which were featured in an exhibition Smith curated at Museum of Cambridge as part of the HUNCH programme.  The artist invited visitors to her display at the museum to add their stories and to contribute their own future imaginings to the artwork on postcards.  Smith also worked with local schools, community groups, charities and at local events to hold workshops at which future predictions and wishes were collected, and these have all been woven into the artist’s final performance on Parker’s Piece.  Smith has selected some wishes to be made into flags and these will be processed to the site as part of the performance.  The other collected predictions have been programmed into an ‘oracle machine’ housed in a cave under a mound at the centre of the performance.  During and after the performance visitors will be able to collect a future prediction from the machine within the cave.

The performance includes a professional cast playing the role of the Pythia, a female muse who delivers future predictions in lyrical poetic form from the pinnacle of the mound, aided by insightful male interpreters who will interact with the audience.   During the event unusual ice-cream flavours will be served that reflect the menu of the Victorian feasts on Parker’s Piece including plum-pudding, ale, brown bread and onion and vinegar.  Music forms an important part of the performance with a range of rare and unusual instruments played by renowned musicians; Barnaby Brown and the Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments.

Skillfully interweaving the ancient and the contemporary, Emma Smith’s HUNCH project engages with the locality of the UNIVERSITY ARMS, CAMBRIDGE on many levels and ultimately celebrates the possibility of a collectively determined and positive future.  Talking about the performance the artist invites you to “Check your reality, share your predictions, and join us in weaving a tale for a future we wish to see.”