Over the past few months Sangini has been working with both Pennywell Community Centre and the women’s group from Sunderland, especially Cleadon and Whitburn area to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

The work produced by the young people and adults during this project is currently on display at the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Sunderland till the end September 2016, an evidence of their personal journey whilst learning about the impact of this Battle on the lives of ordinary people in Sunderland.

Pennywell Project
An arts based project involving creative writing and visual arts

The overall vision for this project is to engage with excluded and minority communities from Pennywell area to explore Sunderland’s history in the context of the Battle of Somme through arts and heritage, create a memorable experience for all with a public presentation of art works created by the participating members and to install a permanent artwork at Pennywell Community Centre as a way to commemorate the event.
Through a community engagement programme, we aimed to develop a deeper understanding about the impact of the Battle of Somme and its impact on people’s lives, create personal responses through art, bring communities together, develop new audiences, create new partnerships and produce an exhibition that relates the narratives of the past in the context of the current conflicts globally.

Cleadon/ Whitburn Project
A Community Research Project commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme

Sangini are proud to present a creative response by the Cleadon and Whitburn Women’s Group which was developed as a result of initial funding by Cultural Spring that allowed the women to discover a new found joy in creative expression.
‘Somme Remembered’ reflects the women’s continued development as they extend their learning by researching historical events from which to contextualise their ideas by making individual artwork to collectively create a contemporary installation.
Artists Miki Z, Lyn Killeen and Hafiza Khan have led the group on their poignant journey, in ‘Somme Remembered’, to formulate both group and individual interests and concepts related to the Soldiers and their families they left behind, to explore these ideas with a visit to the Sunderland Antiquarian Society as well as researching information which directly links their own families to the most traumatic battle in military history.

The notion of the ‘dreaded brown envelope’ was used as a metaphorical tool to evoke emotions and also as the medium from which to create the artwork. An introduction to rope and knots and to how they were utilised in military operations led to the idea for the process and material used in the installation of the work to incorporate and reflect this learning.
The project has provided a rich learning and development experience to combine research and new creative skills. The participants have engaged enthusiastically; their thinking has been influenced by the poignant messages and the traumatic effects the battle left on the people of Sunderland and this is evident in their expressive responses shown within the final installation.