The Abbey Gardens and Abbeygate Street are becoming temporary art galleries this week as specially commissioned textile pieces are being turned into part of the landscape for an unusual textile exhibition being launched on Tuesday.
The exhibition, organised by the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, aims to make people think differently about textiles and uses a whole assortment of materials to challenge people's preconceptions. The exhibition runs from 14 September to 30 October and will spill from the Art Gallery into the town itself so that people will unexpectedly come across the commissions whilst they are out and about.
Vibrant and shimmering banners will line Abbeygate Street and fabulous chintz bench covers are already in place in Abbey Gardens by the central bedding area and the Sensory Garden. 15,000 flags commemorating St Edmund have been erected in the Cloister area to mirror the 64 formal beds in the centre of Abbey Gardens and soon to be in place is an outsized length of cloth designed to create a pattern in the grass to the left as you enter the Abbey Gate.
Bury St Edmunds Festival has contributed £1000 for the banners (which will then be used for the following three festivals) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Parks Section has supported work in the Abbey Gardens for the public to enjoy for free.
ENDS
ISSUED BY MARIANNE HULLAND, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757034. marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk
