The Summer Island Project

JulY 18th - 31st 2016

The Summer Island is a collaborative project between Alice Finbow and her mother Dr Jenifer Smith. The island of Kökar is described as being made up of contradictions, calm and wild, little and large, rich and poor. Smith and Finbow are similarly made up with contradictions, English professor and Art Teacher, writer and visual artist, young and old, Mother and Daughter.

Story telling:

For the duration of the residence Smith and Finbow will create stories about the island. These stories would be created collaboratively and in response to the their experiences of being on the island, acting as a document / mythology of their time there. Having both read and been very drawn to the Tove Jansson’s novel The Summer Book, this will act as a guide to the style of the writing and the kind of narratives that will be created. The characters in Jansson’s summer book have struck a chord with both Smith and Finbow and are quite reflective of their own characters and reminiscent of their relationship with one another, mischievous, playful, explorers, creators, risk takers, scaredy cats!

As a mother, daughter collaboration they work in contrasting and complementary ways.  Smith through words and Finbow through performance, illustration and making, whether it be using modern technology of film and photography or more craft based techniques of watercolour and ceramics.