Ghostsign

Abstract

Ghostsign is a large scale ‘painted’ image celebrating and falsifying the farming heritage of this part of Clay Farm. It’s design references the historical painted advertising hoardings of the late 19th/ early 20th Century that are found at various locations around Cambridge and point to imagined potential past uses of the buildings. This textual work makes reference to the tenant farming family that worked Clay Farm throughout the 20th Century. The sign details the dates the family took on the tenancy of Clay Farm, the crops they grew, and also the kindness that so many people spoke off with regards to Reg Cornwell, adding ‘gleaning’ to the ‘produce’ list. With the focus so closely tied to this family, the artwork explores the contemporary history of Trumpington through the lives of its inhabitants whilst questioning the notion of the 'monumental' within contemporary public art.