Exhibition 'This Liberty' in Hexham Old Gaol
Artist Matt Stokes and musician Richard Dawson and have collaborated on This Liberty, a cinematic and audio installation inspired by the oldest purpose-built prison in England, Hexham Old Gaol.
Drawing from traditional border ballads, which were typically sung unaccompanied and used to tell stories, This Liberty is a set of five songs, each telling the story of a different character associated with the gaol.
The characters whose stories are told through the ballads are: John de Cawood, the first gaoler of Hexham who took up his post in 1332; a petty criminal, typical of many who were imprisoned there; a wealthy prisoner based on a notorious border reiver called Gerard ‘Topping’ Charlton who was imprisoned in the 1530s; a local citizen who visited the gaol and gave money or food to poor inmates; and a priest who would have looked after the spiritual needs of the prisoners.
Each ballad is sung by a person representing the contemporary equivalent of one of the people who had links with the Gaol – for example, a song about Hexham’s first gaoler, who was a barber by profession, is sung by someone embodying a present-day barber.
The lyrics, which are written by Dawson, are based on Stokes’ in-depth research into the gaol, its collections and the people who had links to it.
The ballads are presented through a cinematic film and audio installation in the 687-year-old venue, showing the music being performed in contemporary settings, drawing parallels between both the past and present, and socio-political climates of the times.
Visitors to Hexham Old Gaol, now a Museum and one of four managed by the Woodhorn Charitable Trust, will be able to see This Liberty until 31 October 2017.
The project is part of Meeting Point2, a year-long project led by contemporary art agency Arts&Heritage. Leading UK and international artists have partnered with 10 museums in Yorkshire, the North West and the North East to produce new artworks inspired by the museums and their collections.
