Media Release July 2009
The iconic Number 36 Bus, which runs through Harewood village on its journey between Leeds and Harrogate is one of Yorkshire's oldest bus routes. This summer the route will have its own artist in residence: photographer, video and performance artist Simon Warner. The concept of ‘artist in residence’ has its roots in Leeds University’s pioneering Gregory Fellowships during the 1950s. Simon Warner’s residency is itself a groundbreaking one – part of a collaboration between Harewood House Trust and PSL [Project Space Leeds] in Leeds city centre - he will be, as far as the organisers are aware, the first ever artist in residence on a bus.
Diane Howse, Trustee of Harewood House Trust and Co-Director, with Kerry Harker and
Pippa Hale at PSL, says, ' In the exhibitions we're staging at both Harewood and PSL we're exploring the relationship between Town and Country, and the Number 36 project literally links the two. This bus goes every twenty minutes, throughout the year, taking passengers from the city into the country and back again. We all look forward to seeing how Simon develops work in this very unusual context. Passengers will see him along the way and may even feature in the finished work!'
The Number 36 service is run by Transdev Harrogate & District, and their Marketing and Communications Manager Paul Hodgson says: ‘We like to offer our passengers something different - and Simon on the Number 36 will certainly be that! We hope they enjoy the experience. We also look forward to building our relationship with Harewood and PSL – like Transdev, the curatorial teams there like to set precedents. One thing we can guarantee – a smooth and easy as well as an interesting ride!’
Town and Country: Contemporary Projects in association with PSL [Project Space Leeds] runs from Wednesday July 22nd - Saturday 19 September at Whitehall Waterfront, 2 Riverside Way, Leeds LS1 4EH. For more information go to www.projectspaceleeds.org.uk.
