St James Residents' Association

For The Residents And Workers Of St James

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Lionheart - Northampton Market Square 11-19 July




Prepare for a woolly week as Shauna Richardson’s Lionheart Project visits Northampton’s historic market square.

Three giant hand crocheted lions will be on display in a custom-built, mobile, glass case that is travelling around the East Midlands. These powerful, realistic sculptures reflect the region in both symbol and materials.  Richard the Lionheart’s three lions crest is created using regionally sourced Swaledale wool.
The Lionheart Project is part of Artists Taking The Lead, a series of 12 public art commissions across the UK to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and is funded by Arts Council England and supported by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council.

Councillor Brandon Eldred, Northampton Borough Council cabinet member responsible for events, said: "We’re delighted that Lionheart will be visiting Northampton as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Shauna Richardson has created an amazing artwork and it will look spectacular in the market square. Following on from Go Safari in Northampton and the Olympic Torch Relay, this is another great event for people to enjoy when they are visiting and shopping in the town centre.”

A series of knitted, crocheted and felted artworks will also yarn-bomb* and knit-tag* the town centre in response to The Lionheart Project as part of a wider guerrilla knitting** fringe project created by members from the Noho Knitters, Northampton Ravelry Group, Northampton Town Roses WI, Seahouses and Wellingborough's Hatton School Art 6th Form students among others.  Look out for the knitted market stall.
To find out more about the shadowy underworld of the county’s guerrilla knitters go to:  www.facebook.com/NohoNeedsKnitters 

Northamptonshire County Councillor Heather Smith said: "Northamptonshire is set to be wowed by the next major Cultural Olympiad project, following on from the Games Time spectacular at Delapre Park last Saturday. This time it’s Shauna’s giant crocheted lions, and Northamptonshire County Council is pleased to have played its part in ensuring the exhibition of this amazing piece of contemporary public art in the county. 
"We’re also delighted to have supported the guerrilla knitting project which has had members from around the county feverishly knitting and crocheting to create numerous woolly artworks that can be discovered around the town centre whilst the Lionheart Project is here.” 

For more information about the Lionheart project visit: http://www.lionheartproject.com/

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St James End before 1965

St James End before 1965

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