The Ballad of Berry Head

The Ballad of Berry Head (21mins 02 secs)
Moving image/ audio installation
Anna Keleher (M.A Arts and Ecology) for Guard House Visitor Centre projection room Berry Head National Nature Reserve 2012.

The Ballad of Berry Head is a selection of Berry Head stories for fireside listening at the old Guardhouse and at home via internet or radio. An adventure into the art of contemporary storytelling, this piece honours the 400,000 year oral tradition of Berry Head. This installation is a thank you gift to the wonderful people, places and things of Berry Head National Nature Reserve. So sit on the sofa and help re-kindle the Spirit of Place by telling your own stories.

Deepest thanks to all who gave their time and stories so generously on Berry Head between April 31stst and June 31st 2012. My thanks also to “little dog” Ghyllie for luring stories to me, to Alexandra Brown for transcribing these stories for www.artatberryhead.blogspot.com, and to Mark Keleher for his home fire video idea and for keeping the home fires burning whilst I worked all hours on this project.

List of stories and storytellers

Dogs, eels, horseraces and slaves story by Anna Keleher

Ruby red dog story by Clive Atkins

Rabbit lawn story by Valda Smith

Mrs Brookes cottage story by John Prestige

Fishermen story by Leila Perkes

Speaking as guillemot story by Nigel Small bones

The ‘Compo’ seat story by Tom Canham and John Hayes

Puma story by Patricia and John Prestige

Angler’s story by "Cowboy Chris"

Diver’s story by David Came-Pezzack

First kiss story by Louise

Seagull egg story by Laurie Dart

Poison arrows story by Phil and Kate Armstrong, Di Jenkins and Louise Cresswell of Brixham Heritage Museum Archaeolgical team.

Nursemaid story by Wendy Piper

Bath tub story by Janet Sharp

Shrives ancestor story by Kate Armstrong

“Fields of Barley” sung by “Singing for health and happiness at Brixham Adult and Community Centre” Community choir, led by Claire Waring.

A Smooth Space partnership commission funded by National Lottery through Arts Council England with support from Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust and English Riviera Global Geopark.

For more information visit http://artaberryhead.blogspot.com/