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Sandstone Steps Project and an Artist in Residence at The Crichton

For the past two months, we’ve been lucky enough to welcome Maddy Rosenberg to The Crichton as an Artist in Residence as part of the Sandstone Steps project in collaboration with Hugh Bryden and Roncadora Press.

Sandstone Steps is an ambitious collaborative project that explores and celebrates the historical cultural flux that crossed and re-crossed the Atlantic between the coasts of New York and Dumfries and Galloway. It all began with the voyage of sandstone and craftsmen from Scotland in the nineteenth century, and still continues today.

SANDSTONE STEPS PROJECT: From Scotland to New York – YouTube

Maddy Rosenberg told us about the origins of the project:

“I have always worked internationally and when I was in the country for another project a number of years ago, Hugh, already a CENTRAL BOOKING artist, invited me to Dumfries for the day. Of course Hugh had to give me a thorough tour of the area and, as we both enjoy collaboration, he mentioned he had an idea for a project. His Annan roots and my Brooklyn ones seemed perfect for a project revolving around sandstone, immigration stories and cultural exchange, not to mention a common focus on bookart, printmaking and architecture. I was looking forward to Hugh’s visit to NY so I could show him a tour of my home, with the nearby Brooklyn brownstones and the spectacular Capitol staircases.

And so we both got to work bringing together all the elements of the project, contacting people for research, venues, residencies, programming and sponsorship. The amazing handcrafted sculptural book simulated staircase remains at the center, an art object that will wind up mostly in public collections on both sides of the Atlantic, but with poetry pamphlets, individual prints, and music components available for all.”

The Million Dollar Staircase

Did you know that sandstone from Dumfries and Galloway was used to create the staircase in the Capitol Building in Albany, New York?

So called because of the cost of the project, the staircase was carved in place from massive blocks of sandstone between 1884 to 1898. The staircase boasts intricate carvings of flora and fauna as well as symbols, and portraits of distinguished figures of the day. A new carving made from Corsehill sandstone has been added to the roster. Ruth Bader Ginsberg, trailblazing Supreme Court justice, feminist icon, was the latest figure to be added to the staircase, the first person to be added in 125 years, and is one of few women to feature.

Corsehill sandstone comes from Corsehill quarry, located near Annan. Extensively quarried in the 1800s and popular due to its quality and durability, Corsehill supplied sandstone to the likes of Liverpool Street Station and The Capitol Building in Albany, New York. Having closed in the 1940s the quarry was reopened in 1982 and has since supplied many high-profile projects, with large reserves for the future.

Sandstone Steps Project

The Sandstone Steps Project is a cultural exchange that fosters collaborations between visual artists, musicians and poets from Dumfries and Galloway and New York, producing a prestigious limited edition artist’s book, commissioned music, poetry pamphlets and artists print portfolios; along with exhibitions and performances on both sides of the Atlantic.

Sandstone Steps is a multi-disciplinary cultural event in a box, an artist’s book in three parts: with a musical element, a literary element and a visual art element. The box, in the shape of a staircase with drawers, will contain specially commissioned music, poetry and relief prints in each of its three “steps.” From May – September 2024, it will be the center of a programme of exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings and related events in Dumfries and Galloway, before moving to New York for celebrations in 2025.

Maddy outlined her stay in Dumfries and her time as an artist in residence at The Crichton:

“This year was meant to familiarize people in Dumfries and Galloway with the project and fundraise through exhibitions, pop-ups, presentations, meet and greets to make it all possible, as the Sandstone Steps full artist’s book itself is quite costly to produce with all its components. In addition, Hugh and I focused on mapping out and beginning production on our contribution of a suite of prints and all the design and structures of the visuals.

“My stay at The Crichton helped to facilitate it all. It has been lovely having my cottage in this peaceful place, perfectly situated for river walks into town and watching the sunsets from my window. My favorite part of the cottage was the studio room, set up ready for us to get right to work. The grounds were certainly calming to walk in, not to mention themselves providing me with images that may show up in my prints.”

An artist’s book in three parts

Centring on the theme of Scotland’s sandstone quarries, the three-tier wooden box consists of three ‘steps’, each one a drawer housing its own complete art event whilst working together with the others to become a full spectrum experience. The box is coated with a sandstone textured paint and sealed to emulate solid sandstone steps.

“And though I am leaving [Dumfries], Hugh and I continue to work on the book. We both appreciate any support of the project. There’s still time to “pre-order” the parts of the final book, and help us at the same time to produce them, by contributing to the fundraiser.”

Find out more about the Sandstone Steps, including the planned events for 2024, on Maddy’s CENTRAL BOOKING website Sandstone Steps – CENTRAL BOOKING (centralbookingnyc.com)

To donate to the Crowdfunder for the project, click here.

 

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