As part of Museums at Night we are competing to win the chance to work with the extraordinary artist Susan Hiller.
The artist will invite the public to journey together through the city, on a quest to collect water, before returning to an evening filled with performance, music and making.
This special event will explore the past and present of Bristol’s harbourside, the construction of vessels, the gathering of water and the collective experience of pilgrimage.
In order for us to bring Susan Hiller to Bristol to create this event, we have to collect the most votes from the public.
Want to make it happen?
Voting opens on Friday 29 May at 11am and closes on Saturday 14 May at 9pm
What is Museums at Night?
Twice a year Museums at Night, invites all UK museums, galleries and heritage sites to throw open their doors after hours to showcase their treasures in unexpected ways.
Please vote for us and the other Bristol venues who are also competing for different artists. Arnos Vale Cemetery is competing to win an evening with Marcus Coates and Clifton Suspension Bridge is competing to win a night with Peter Liversidge.
You can vote for all four Bristol venues when voting opens on Friday 29 April.
Help us make October an exciting time to be in Bristol!
About Susan Hiller
With a practice extending over 40 years, Susan Hiller is considered one of the most influential artists of her generation. Her ground-breaking installations, multi-screen videos and audio works have achieved international recognition and major influence on younger British artists.
Susan Hiller inspired Arnolfini with her ideas around water – which seemed very relevant to our location on Bristol’s historic harbourside.
Hiller said:
“A Brahmin in India told me many years ago, “All water is Ganges water”, and therefore sacred.
“With this in mind I would like to suggest trying the experience of being a pilgrim, instead of a tourist, by journeying somewhere to collect a special water sample.
“Participants can select a sacred well site to visit, researching it, planning the journey, documenting it and passing on advice about good places to eat or best means of transportation to the site, as pilgrims did in the Middle Ages.
“Choosing a container and means of preservation, describing the site and sharing your experience with others – all these focused actions in unfamiliar circumstances may bring about an unusual shift in perspective.”
