Russell Burden
If the Lossenham Project has an ethos it’s about making the most of the estate in all its aspects. Our artist-in-residence Russell Burden takes care to scoop up every element Lossenham has to offer to mould into art of great beauty. He’s previously recorded sounds around the estate, from the crackling of logs on a bonfire, to wind through the trees and the song of the night birds. These he meshed with instruments, voices and electronic loops. The meditative album that emerged, Lossenham Frequencies, is shot through with the sheer presence of the place. And a very fine listen to boot.
His latest work centres on cameraless image-making at its rawest, using two print techniques: lumen and cyanotype. In the first photographic paper is immersed in Lossenham’s ponds. Seeds floating on the surface and ivy pond weed take on an ethereal, three-dimensional quality when seen from underneath.
The second technique, cyanotype, involves watercolour paper treated with compounds of iron that react to water, light and the naturally occurring iron that abounds in the Wealden landscape.
“The joy is in the surprise,” Russell says. Sometimes the environment yields images both reminiscent of the hills of Mount Carmel and the local wetland map. The pictures serve as a reminder of the monks who once lived harsh, hermit lives in Palestine under the Rule of St Albert. They found refuge in a new priory at Lossenham, as they retreated from the Muslim re-conquest.
Next on Russell’s packed agenda is reviving the pottery project that he and Philip Warren began last year. They’ve proved that Lossenham’s clay performs well in kilns fashioned from the very same material. They’re looking for enthusiasts to help with the next phase of making ceramics, both practical and artistic. To register an interest contact: russell@lossenham.org.uk