Places Features

Amphis takes shape at Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridgeshire

Wysing Arts Centre in Bourn have invited two International artists from Berlin, who work within communities, to create and build truly communal spaces made entirely from old and reclaimed building materials.

Amphis: in the beginning...

Folke Köbberling and Martin Kaltwasser have been working for the past five weeks alongside an army of volunteers from both the Cambridge area and beyond - even from Newcastle and Bristol - to develop a new community structure on the 11 acre site at Wysing Arts Centre. 

Wysing is sited on a former farm but since 1988 exists as a state of the art centre for contemporary visual artists offering low cost studio spaces as well as a public programme of events and exhibitions and International Residencies such as this one.

This ambitious project means a two storey structure in the shape of an octagon - an amphitheatre - is being designed and built in just six weeks – creating a new communal space for performances, live art events, film screenings and a whole host of public events.

The reclaimed building materials were all donated by the local public, from old kitchen cupboards to doors, palettes, and windows - all of which were destined for the bin! Instead of filling up valuable landfill sites this material has found a new home and a new use within Amphis.

Families have taken part in workshops for children and people have come down and seen the space take shape. Many have rolled up their sleeves and joined in to create something beautiful and useable out of rubbish!

"D'you think we can recycle the ladder?"

Instead of designing on a computer and working with a world class architect, Wysing have invited local people to create a building that they would like to use and that they have designed themselves - bringing neighbours and people together on a large-scale project; a bit like ‘community barn building in a day’ or just over six weeks in this case!

Amphis will add to the settlement at Wysing and will be used as a public space for many months to come.

Amphis will be completed on 31st August, 2008.

Come and celebrate Amphis

Saturday 30th August 12.30pm - 2.30pm and 3pm - 5pm: Family drop-in sessions. Suitable for all ages, come and transform simple recycled materials with imaginative ideas using collage, drawing and sculpture. Ł2 per head. Children must be accompanied.

Saturday 30th August from 6pm: Bring a picnic and celebrate the conclusion of the project and watch the new space come to life with the artist CLAIRE using the space for the first time with a performance entitled ‘so lange es dauert’ (‘as long as it takes’) starting at 8.30pm.  Free event. All welcome.

Wysing Arts Centre will also be using Amphis from 17th Sept onwards as part of Wysing INSIDE OUT - 24 artists take over unseen spaces and places and turn the site literally upside down - installing art in offices, kitchens, greenhouses and showing films in Amphis as part of the Cambridge Film Festival.

Wysing is open daily from midday until 5pm and admission is free.