UNEARTHED

Project Manager : Producer : Designer

Commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to design and realise a large-scale
commemorative sculpture in the heart of its City Centre.

Created in partnership with Nicola Winstanley

Unearthed commemorates the destruction and reconstruction of a small mining village, Lidice, located in rural Czech Republic. In 1942 the village was decimated by the Nazis, its people, buildings, vegetation and river wiped off the map. On hearing news on this tradegy, the mining community of Stoke-on-Trent, headed by local MP Barnett Stross, proclaimed 'Lidice Shall Live!' and rallied to offer their support, each pledgeing 1 day's pay per week. They raised £32,000, nearly 1.2 million in today's money.

This remarkable story had long-been forgotten. Through the very construction of the sculpture, the story would once again live in the hearts of the community and be retold by the people of Stoke-on-Trent.

The Miners' lamp dispels the shadows on the coal face. It can also send a ray of light across Europe to those who struggle in darkness.

Barnett Stross

The sculpture is made of larger laser-etched stainless steel 'miners tags' of differing grades which reference the geological stratigraphy that lie beneath. There are also seams of smaller, hand-punched discs that run around the sculpture. All the tags bear a unique code of two letters and two numbers which signify a person's intials and day of birth.

The codes belong to a community of storytellers. Before construction, if you promised to tell the story to two people, you could add your code to the sculpture.

Over 3000 people from around the world pledged to share the story. To raise awareness of the project, a year-long creative campaign of theatre, animation and public events.

Photography by Jenny Harper

Episode 1 - Lidice Shall Die

Episode 2 - Lidice Shall Live

Episode 3 The Miners Raise Money

Episode 4 - Lidice Is Rebuilt

Unearthed Unveiled with everyBODY dance

The Concept

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