20.7.09

Grassroots Day


TED Research assistant Clara Vuletich and PhD student Jen Ballie, recently participated in a site-specific project called Grassroots, which was an event for all MA students at Chelsea, from fine art, graphics and textiles, exploring the theme of 'treading lightly' to coincide with the RSA's Arts & Ecology week of the same name in June.

Based at the wonderful Crystal Palace site in South London, the project organisers (including David Cross from Camberwell) hoped that spending several days in the park and camping overnight, would encourage participants to use the site as an impetus to think about sustainability in relation to art and design practice. The participants were to make on-site work which would be visited by everyone at the end of the two days.

The TED members met the rest of the group half way through the first day and we were taken on a walk around the park with a herbalist who specialised in making teas and herbal tonics using local English herbs and plants.

The TED team then delivered a workshop on 'your favourite garment', asking participants to reflect on a piece of clothing they were wearing and why they like it and if and how they repair/mend it.