Ghost Parade
“The scene was strange and beautiful. Old and new, history and the future, art and community mingled together around the magnetic symbol of a once discarded, useless object given a creative lease of life.”
Elisabeth Mahoney, The Guardian
Ghost Parade was a large scale, collaborative event which marked the arrival of Adain Avion in Ebbw Vale, at Dusk on 1st July 2012. The event involved outdoor projections, archival moving images and mass participation, with music provided by Ebbw Valley Brass.
Part carnival, part surreal protest, Ghost Parade celebrated a decade of transition in Ebbw Vale. This collective endeavour took place 10 years, almost to the day, since the closure of the Steel Works, an occasion marked by the remaining workforce who staged a symbolic march out of the gates.
Ghost Parade participants carried phantom placards and banners. At points along the route, the placards became a moving, choreographed screen, on which a brief sequence of archival film was shown. When the parade reached its destination the placards were roughly reconfigured to form a large cinema screen. Once construction was complete, the screen was used to show a short film work.
Central to Ghost Parade was the participation of the public. The artist worked closely with local groups, individuals and organisations to realise the project. Please see Credits & Acknowledgements for a full list of (known) participants.
Ghost Parade was commissioned by Adain Avion, Wales’ Artists Taking the Lead project under the Artistic Direction/Curatorship of Welsh artist Marc Rees. Adain Avion is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Festival.
More information, reviews and images are on the Ghost Parade Facebook Page.
