WIREDGOV

A ghostly flotilla of abandoned fishing boats appeared in Leigh Woods near Bristol this morning for an installation by renowned south west artist Luke Jerram in response to Bristol's year as European Green Capital.

Withdrawn is a landmark art project brought to the woodland by the artist in collaboration with the National Trust and Trust New Art Bristol.  In a thought-provoking and engaging installation Luke Jerram raises issues of climate change, extreme weather, changing ocean temperatures, falling fish stocks and our impact on the marine environment.  

Withdrawn invites visitors to engage with the artwork shrouded in the depths of the woods through special marine and environmental sound installations; theatrical performances; lectures; and interactive workshops in a programme of events and activities happening throughout the summer. The first performance on 25 April will see Bristol Youth Choirsinging songs inspired by the sea.

Luke Jerram, artist, explains: 'I wanted to raise awareness around the decline of the fishing industry in the South West.  For several decades, unsustainable fishing practices have caused fish stocks of many species to collapse. With less fish in the sea, it's often not financially viable to use a small fishing vessel to fish with. Withdrawn is also a response to the extreme weather and apocalyptic imagery we've seen in the media recently - the floods on the Somerset Levels last winter and further afield, Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Japan, where cars were floating down streets and houses submerged in water. 

'The positioning of these boats in Leigh Woods presents a similarly uncanny scenario that reminds us of a possible future if we don't address climate change now. I hope Withdrawn will appeal to different audiences in different ways as the seasons change and events bring in people from diverse walks of life.'

Other events in the diverse and exciting programme include a two-wheeled drive-in style movie night for cyclists; a picnic and nautical themed storytelling evening; and a series of Nightwalks through the woods with performance artist Tom Bailey.

Withdrawn will also be a dramatic backdrop for a week of performances of The Tempest, a show staged by the Butterfly Theatre as part of Bristol Shakespeare Festival; it will play host to a series of talks about the fishing industry and climate change, accompanied by delicious fish suppers cooked by local Michelin Starred Chef Josh Eggleton; and be part of Bristol Walking Festival with The Wonders of Leigh Woods Walk.

Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England, said: 'The range of events and activities planned around Withdrawn is terrific and there are lots of opportunities for people to come along and get involved in the debate or just reflect on the haunting installation.  Our support for Bristol 2015 means that great art and culture are right at the heart of the programme for European Green Capital, giving us all a new way to think about the issues.'

Withdrawn is supported by Arts Council England as part of the Bristol 2015 European Green Capital programme. The Arts Council made an Exceptional Award of £744,564 to Bristol 2015 for an extraordinary arts programme that will play a central role in helping to make sustainable living accessible and easy to understand, one of the core aims for the year.  

National portfolio organisation Bristol Cultural Development Partnership (BCDP) will deliver the programme which is built around six major projects. The other five are: TIME AND SPACE, a major new exhibition of work by Richard Long; The Bristol Whales, designed and built by Bristol based model-making company Cod Steaks; Theaster Gates' first UK public project; Festival of the Future City, a year-long programme of work bringing together thinkers, writers, artists, think tanks, governments and the public; and ground-breaking performance and cutting-edge technology from production experts Arcadia.

Withdrawn opens to the public on 18 April and will remain in Leigh Woods until 6 September.  Find more detail on Withdrawn here

Find more detail on the full arts and culture programme for Bristol 2015 here