Adkins, LB., Duffy, N., Nicolson, M., 2018.

'Extreme Views'.

This research interrogates the industrial and typographic heritage of Barrow-in-Furness and surrounding South Lake District region. Working with Art Gene, an independent and international research programme, the Extreme View's artist-in-resident programme examined opposing, visual, perceptual, physical, societal and political extreme views. Alongside fellow resident artist Clara Casian the residency focused on artworks that built on Art Gene's strategic vision for this research programme.

The study responded to typographic and political concerns of the region and community with partners: Morecambe Bay Armature Wireless Group, SOTA - Summits on the Airwaves, Minds Eye Audio Description Services and Barrow Archives. Outcomes include an exhibition 'Extreme Views' Art Gene Gallery, Barrow, a series of performances 'Notes for a Performance - Weather Permitting', a series of public access art events, international conference and accompanying publication (February - March 2019). The Esme Fairbairn Foundation, the Arts Council of England, Natural England, the Islands & Bays of Barrow & Furness Coastal Team, the Great British Coast and Coastal Communities Fund funded the programme to the cost of £200,000. As one of two, commissioned artist research and outcomes were developed as part of the wider programme.

This research investigates how archival materials and site-specific field work can construct meta-narrative performance works that give voice(s) to a collective memory of a landscape and its people, considering how performance re-visioning can act as a mirror to historicity, heritage, the politics of the past and reclamation. The research interrogates the proximity between the geographic coastline and mountainous landscape - fieldwork tracking triangulation and mapping routes alongside archival research - as a means to expand understanding of the localities industrial and typographic heritage.

The research extends contemporary fine art performance discourse on the outsourced performer as defined by Claire Bishop, referring to the role of 'outsourced' performer in contemporary performance art practice. This research focused on the 'professional' as performer as opposed to 'artist as performer' prevalent in Fluxus and Situationalism. The performative research utilized SOTA radio operators with a view to interrogate and challenge the mediation of industrial heritage sites and landscape. The performance text further linked to contemporary multi disciplinary, academic and fine art practice concerned with 'Site Writing' as defined by Jane Rendell. The research applies Audio Description methodologies to industrial and typographic fieldwork to create unique performance texts articulating the industrial heritage, landscape and people in the region.