As part of an ongoing exploration of Sense of Place this theme is exploring the Signposts we use in our imagination and making them real. We use literary and metaphorical signposts everyday but do not encounter them physically. This makes this possible.

Is it really so long ago that Aristophanes first gave us ‘cloudcuckooland’? Have we forgotten the early exploration and colonial occupation of Australia which gave us ‘Never-never land’? Our culture is littered with crossovers between the real and imagined. The Waste Land, Jamaica Inn, Watership Down, Blueberry Hill, Monte Cristo, East of Eden.

I compiled a comprehensive database of allusions to place. I also cross-referenced these with potential real avatars.

To make this a real as possible I’ve used industrial processes and (in some case) the typographical language of signs (another reason to be grateful to Jock Kinnear and Margaret Calvert). Places already created in the Aluminium series include:

• Toad Hall
• Library of Babel
• Wuthering Heights (2 lines)
• Exit (pursued by a bear)
• Far from the Madding Crowd

This work also has potential for site-specific commissions. Any comments on this project or if you are interested in discussing a suitable venue for the site-specific installation please Contact me.

Status: Ongoing. Made to order
Edition: 12 (per place)
Materials: Aluminium and Vinyl
Size: Size varies from (one line) 140 mm high x 500-1500mm wide.
Price: £90–£300 (+shipping). Please enquire for specific pricing per place
Year: 2010+
Website: n/a 

See the Mapping Fiction (LINK) for further work in this area.