In 2018-20, the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) developed 56 council rented apartments – named Wilson Court and Lingrey Court – between Anstey Way and Lingrey Court. This project replaced 26 council homes which had been built in the 1950s. As part of the project, Sarah Sabin was commissioned to develop a public art feature : groups of tiles around the entrances to the apartments, unveiled on 2 July 2020. This is part of the Resonance-Cambridge project ( Anstey Way ).
Unveiling the art works on Wilson Court and Lingrey Court, Anstey Way: Sarah Sabin, artist, Councillor Richard Johnson, Shameem Khan, Head of Fawcett School, Tom Hill, Director of Hill Group, and Andrew Roberts, Trumpington Residents’ Association and Trumpington Local History Group. Photo: Hill Group, 2 July 2020.
Sarah Sabin at the unveiling of the art works on Wilson Court and Lingrey Court, Anstey Way. Photo: Hill Group, 2 July 2020.
Sarah Sabin
I am an artist based in Colchester, Essex, and was delighted to be appointed to design the entrance tiling for the new Anstey Way development for Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP).
My interests lie in sites and places, and what is under the surface, so to speak, and so I was keen to explore the history of the area, in particular the history of farming and the Plant Breeding Institute. I contacted the Trumpington Local History Group to learn more.
Trumpington conveys a sense that it is a nurturing place in which to live, with existing residents welcoming newcomers into the community; a community that continue to flourish. The allotments and community orchard are part of this. I wanted to focus on conveying all these aspects in the art work, and working with the local community to achieve this.
Working with two classes from Fawcett Primary School. The children investigated the themes of growing and community through talking, exploring the allotments and local area, and making in various ways; from cyanotypes of plants cuttings; plaster relief tablets, and handmade paper on which they wrote words about their village.
Members of the Local History Group kindly gave their time to share images past and present, and members of the Residents’ Association, and other community groups attended creative workshops, and community events where they were also able to provide feedback at various stages of the design process.
The creation of cyanotypes of local plant life formed the base of the artwork design to be used on each of the eight entrances. I also wanted each entrance at Anstey Way to have an individual identity which related to different aspects of Trumpington, so these aspects are digitally manipulated and embedded in the base design which has been fired permanently onto the tiles around the entrance.
I have named the work, ‘Old roots, new shoots’. It is wonderful to see it finally in situ. I’m going to miss visiting Trumpington.
Unveiling the art works on Wilson Court and Lingrey Court, Anstey Way: Sarah Sabin, artist. Photo: Hill Group, 2 July 2020.
Sarah Sabin at the unveiling of the art works on Wilson Court and Lingrey Court, Anstey Way. Photo: Hill Group, 2 July 2020.
The entrances are as follows:
Plant Breeding Institute : t he work of the nearby (now closed) Plant Breeding Institute, to develop crops such as the Maris Piper potato, and explore disease resistance, is featured on this entrance.
Allotments : this has tools, eggs, plant pots, bees and other objects amongst the vegetation printed onto the tiles.
Community Orchard : within the design, there are various fruits and blossoms from the community orchard fruit trees, along with images of swifts.
River and Nature : the local nature reserve and river are featured through the fish, plant, bird and insect life that can be found.
Archaeology : some local archaeological discoveries, such as the cross, ceramic vessels and parts of a bed, have been scattered through the design.
School : the pupils from Fawcett Primary School created plaster tablets using toys and various objects to depict the growing nature of their village, which were included in the design.
Wilson Brothers : this commemorates three local brothers who were killed in the First World War.
Historical features/village signage : features deconstructed aspects of the village sign and milestones.
Left: Shameem Khan, Head of Fawcett School, and Sarah Sabin, artist. Right: opening Wilson Court and Lingrey Court, Anstey Way: Councillor Richard Johnson. Photo: Andrew Roberts, 2 July 2020.