Projects » Breathe
Breathe 2021
Hadleigh Pool and Leisure Centre, Suffolk
Commissioner: Babergh District Council
Commission for a brise soleil for new Hadleigh Pool and Leisure Centre that was both functional and appealing for both residents and visitors alike.
The artwork was developed from workshops with St Mary’s Primary School, Hadleigh Dementia Action Alliance, and Hadleigh High School. The groups created drawings and watercolour paintings, focusing on the themes of wellbeing, exercise, mind and body, and the environment. The words WALK LISTEN BALANCE RUN JUMP WATCH SWIM CYCLE DIVE BREATHE are inspired by the illustrations in their artwork. The 20m long sunscreen is printed onto aluminium panels.
The artwork also references the work of local artist and plantsman Cedris Morris, who lived at Benton End, Hadleigh. Cedric Morris was pivotal in the establishing the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing. The background for the artwork uses colours inspired by his paintings with their use of blues, lilacs, rusts, browns, and the abstracted, flattened planes of colour.
The text used is to show the importance of exercise and activity in wellbeing. Selected words were inspired by the drawings the children made each word refering to an activity. The whole artwork hopefully creates a feeling of calm and flow.