Google Maps 1572

Inspired by air - sketchbook work     R Allen-Sherwood 2016

I attended a very interesting event recently. "A festival of ideas: Questions of space" was a two day collaboration between Canterbury Cathedral and researchers and academics from the Faculty of Humanities Department at Kent University. 

It was the leaflet catchphrase that hooked me: "We’d like to share with you our research on how we respond to the spaces around us, and how we as artists, architects and historians are exploring Canterbury Cathedral’s hidden spaces."  

My balloon now lives on my kitchen ceiling

One of events Hot Air, was a hands-on experiment to analyse the air flow inside the cathedral crypt, using helium balloons. 

Shadows and light     photo R. Allen-Sherwood 2016

On the one hand it might sound dry and boring, but imagine seeing a bunch of adults navigating shiny floating balloons inside an semi lit ancient medieval crypt! This is the stuff of dreams for a spacenik like me! Even made drawings from it. 

Eastbridge Pilgrims Hospital

Another offering was the chance to experience how Canterbury looked in the 1500's by walking around (in our socks) on top of an enlarged medieval map placed on the floor of the Chapter House.

The hood in the Middle Ages 

Seeing the wide empty open spaces where my neighbourhood now stands made me feel like I was inside an old Google Map circa 1572

Mapping Canterbury in my sketchbook 

Thank you Canterbury Cathedral for daring to experiment and try something different  And, of course to all the researchers, academics and teachers of Kent uni for putting it all together. I thoroughly enjoyed the event!

Becket's Candle               photo R Allen-Sherwood 2016

(And please do it again next year)  (Bigger.)