Pleasure garden exhibition extends into Newcastle's Pink Lane
Art replaces bins as scheme progresses
A year ago, when Newcastle’s Forth Lane was restyled the Forth Lane Gallery and adorned with specially commissioned artworks, there was a joyous ‘unveiling’.
But fingers were crossed, metaphorically at least. How long would these bright and rejuvenating creations last?
Previous efforts to smarten up what Newcastle Arts Centre boss Mike Tilley described as a “filthy, grotty space” had ultimately failed. The grot had returned fairly swiftly.
But Mike was speaking this week at the unveiling of phase two of the scheme to smarten up this bit of Newcastle city centre – and exuding optimism.
It has resulted in new artworks joining those already installed on Forth Lane, the footpath running from Westgate Road along the side of the arts centre, and extra commissions appearing on adjoining Pink Lane.
And this week it was really hard to tell old from new.
Last year’s creations, exposed to the elements and all that pigeons and baser human instincts might inflict, still look pristine and the Forth Lane Gallery seems anything but grotty.
“Creative Central has been a shot in the arm for the arts around here,” said Mike who should know, having begun the delicate process of turning a jumble of historic buildings into an arts centre back in 1981.
Creative Central, funded by North East Combined Authority and Newcastle City Council, and with a host of partners and supporters including Newcastle Arts Centre, Project North East (PNE) and NE1, is a five-year ‘place-based regeneration project’.
The aim is to spruce up this part of the city, making it more attractive as a place to live, work and visit, and focusing on arts and culture as the catalysts for job creation.
Vix Leaney and Anna Czigler, of Creative Central, presided over the phase two unveiling and seemed happy with the way things are progressing.
Standing beside a splendid Pink Lane mural called Swansong, Vikki said: “Pink Lane is a continuation of the success we’ve experienced on Forth Lane.
“A large part of it is the murals and we’ve already got two pieces in. There will be another three pieces installed before Christmas and then several others before next spring which will really cheer the place up.
“There’s also a really big bit of work going on around waste consolidation which might not sound particularly sexy but is absolutely essential because there are so many bins on the street at the minute.
“We’ll be looking at reducing the number of bins because we really want to make sure all the elements of this project knit together.
“We’ve also got some overhead artwork to be installed, what you might call gateway pieces, at either end of Pink Lane. Everything will be in place by March.”
Speaking for myself, I would say High Friar Lane, beside the Tyneside Cinema, is an example of what might be achieved (it was reborn under a canopy of lights nearly a decade ago) while Pudding Chare, running off the Bigg Market, is often a litter-strewn disgrace.
Newcastle’s historic and characterful lanes should be pleasant thoroughfares showing the city in its very best light.
That is the aim on Forth Lane and Pink Lane and Vikki said there’s evidence to show people already feel safer and more relaxed when walking in the area.
The theme given to the first Forth Lane Gallery artists was Pleasure Garden, for that was, for a very long time, the destination of many people who passed along the lane. The 11-acre site is now largely occupied by St Mary’s Cathedral and the Centre for Life.
“It was a civic pleasure garden where local dignitaries would gather for events and they had a pavilion and a cellar stocked by the council,” said Mike.
The Pleasure Garden idea, continued into phase two, has provided opportunities for artists, some of them quite fresh out of college or university and keen to stay in the area.
Bex Masters graduated from Newcastle University’s fine art degree course in 2022, as did Millie Avis, and both also worked for a time at Newcastle Arts Centre.
“Working on a project like this is a beautiful challenge,” said Bex, whose striking mural of a languorous and serpentine woman enhances the exotic nature of much of the Forth Lane art.
“With outdoor art people can’t help seeing it so it’s a way to connect with people you might not have expected to connect with. I saw the other murals go up last year and thought what a lovely way to share the passion I have for what I do and get my message out there.”
Bex’s mural is called Kundalini which is a yoga term for the latent power said to reside at the base of the female spine. There’s latent power in this piece, for sure.
Millie hadn’t originally planned to work outside, intending to create pieces in her studio. She changed her mind, with some trepidation at first, but then decided she had made the right decision.
Her work, under the title Away With the Everyday, was painted directly onto street furniture.
“Working outside you tend to become a bit of an exhibition yourself but it was really nice and you would get into conversations with people about what you were doing and why. Everyone was just into it.”
Other new work on Forth Lane is by Bethan Harris, Josie Brookes – working in collaboration with students from Newcastle College – and Mark Shields, who exhibits under the tag Mark One87 and who collaborated with residents of Tyneside Foyer on Westgate Road.
Mark said the project began with a mural in the courtyard at Tyneside Foyer so people could develop their artistic skills. Then they sat down and discussed ideas.
“The pleasure garden was a place where people came to relax and we talked about people enjoying being in nature. It led us on to the idea of biophilia, the human desire to connect with nature and other living things.
“We wanted to show a person engulfed in nature. We started making the work with paint and brushes but then moved on to sprays.”
The only commissioned piece by an artist not living in the region is Swansong, that arresting amalgam of a woman’s head and a black swan that adorns Pink Lane.
The artist, who styles himself ALECLDN, couldn’t be at the unveiling because, as Alec Saunders, he’s head of art at a primary school in Croydon, although Vikki said he has connections with the North East.
“He submitted for the commission and everyone fell in love with the work,” she said. “And he’s got such a lovely work ethic as well. All his paints are reclaimed or recyclable.”
Responsible for several large murals in the London area, he is also passionate about using his art to promote ideas of community and understanding.
Some of the more experienced artists at the unveiling, used to the unwanted attention outdoor art can attract, were surprised that the Forth Lane murals remain not only intact but as new.
“It’s obvious that the artwork is respected,” suggested Vikki.
But Mike Tilley said the secret was to act quickly to remove any blemishes or graffitied scribbling. “We have the right cleaning fluids here and we keep a very close eye on what happens on Forth Lane.”
Vigilance and growing pride in the place should help Creative Central achieve its aims for the good of all. This is a part of the city where signs of improvement are evident.