Mystery Rain Rods

Water Histories with artist Anna Chrystal Stephens
A response to the ‘spirit of water’ in Chard, researching and referencing the heritage of water in the town. A Culturally Chard project coordinated by Somerset Art Works.
During a series of workshops at Holyrood Academy, Anna Chrystal Stephens and a group of students explored water within the land beneath our feet. Learning traditional water divining techniques with tuition from professional dowser Jon Warfield, interpretations of the landscape shifted after the re-examination of known ground and attempts to imagine hidden flows beneath. In collaboration they made this film: Mystery Rain Rods. Questioning knowledge, truth and fiction, the group recorded their strange and free explorations of water around and under the school grounds, creating music, a co-written text and film footage which Anna later edited.
'Working with our students in a very different way to their usual art lessons, Anna gave them significant freedom that they wouldn’t normally have, freedom for them to follow their thought patterns and their ideas and that is really really unusual for children within the structures of a school setting. I think that's one of the most valuable parts of this experience.'
Sam Davison - Holyrood Academy, Chard.
Read more at: waterhistories.uk/
Community-led cultural activity celebrating Chard's historic town centre
Culturally Chard is the Chard High Street Heritage Action Zone cultural programme, funded by Historic England, Arts Council England and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. culturallychard.org/