A Lost Paradise?

What represents Paradise to you? Where can you find it? How fragile is it?

A Lost Paradise?

‘A Lost Paradise?’ is a poetic, visual journey through Shugborough’s parkland, taking you back to the tumultuous night of the great flood of 1795 that destroyed Thomas Anson’s sublime vision of his perfect paradise.

Inspired by the Arcadian landscape conceived by Thomas Anson in the 18th century, once full of eclectic monuments and early Greek revival structures, ‘A Lost Paradise?’ aims to emotionally connect visitors with the story of their creation and then destruction by the great flood in 1795.

Ben Wigley

Ben Wigley is an artist and film-maker whose work explores the journeys people make in life. He is the founder of Artdocs, which spans platforms and audiences by exploring multi-layered, immersive journeys through experimental film, documentary, art and interpretation.

At Shugborough his work will include sound, poetry and manipulated film triggered by the visitor when turning the crank of three purpose-made kinetoscopes which will be situated in the parkland for two years from July 2017.

Ben can be found within the studio or out in the landscape over a number of dates in May and June, where he will be working on images and research to inform the final kinetoscope films, as well as physically filming outside within the landscape.

The project is a part of Trust New Art, the National Trust’s programme of contemporary arts inspired by the places we look after.