Changing Tracks

 

Sunday 4th May marked the 50th anniversary of the closure of Irthlingborough Station and the former Northamptonshire to Peterborough railway line. To coincide with this landmark date and to celebrate the area’s railway heritage, a major outdoor art installation will take place in
Northamptonshire from 15th August 2014.

CHANGING TRACKS has received funding from the European Union Culture Programme 2007-2013 and will feature three major contemporary public works of art that will be created and displayed outdoors in Catalonia in Spain, County Mayo in Ireland and the Nene Valley in the UK. It is supported by Northamptonshire County Council, UK, Mayo County Council, Ireland, and Consortium Transversal Cultural Activities Network, Spain. The installations will feature and complement the existing landscape of the Nene Valley by making use of landmarks such as Stanwick Lakes. They will also highlight the effects of the former railway lines in the area, from the Beeching Cuts of 40 years ago to the development of HS2 in the south of the county.

Three artists, one from each country, will each create three separate temporary artworks, each to be situated on or adjacent to disused railway lines which are now used as walking or cycle paths. This will enable the project to engage with a wide range of leisure and recreational users such as walkers, cyclists, families, fi shers, and local community groups including heritage, schools, colleges and local tourism businesses. The installations will include railway tracks that extend 12 metres into the air creating a stunning visual impact.

The artists selected are Aideen Barry (Ireland), Noah Rose (UK) and Xevi Bayona (Catalonia). All three began installing their work in June in Catalonia, followed by County Mayo in July and fi nally Northamptonshire’s Nene Valley from August. These unique and highly ambitious artworks will remain in situ until approximately September in the UK. For more information about CHANGING TRACKS, please visit www.changingtracks.eu