Images and footage of the exhibition of work shown at 93, Winner Street.
"Where has the Flat Pole cabbage gone?"
Holly Smith
Ink drawing on paper
April 2012
Holly Smith
‘Where Has The Flat Pole Cabbage Gone?’
Many years ago Flat Pole Cabbages used to grow all around Winner Street including which is now the Palace Avenue Gardens. Paignton was so well known for the Flat Pole Cabbage that for a time residents were known as 'Flat Poles' This variety of cabbage is now apparently extinct and until the 1970's was mainly used for cattle feed.
Whilst during Smith's residency at Winner Street she found that there was a lack of information about the Flat Pole on the internet. She decided to ask the public if they knew anything or could remember the cabbage being around the area, so she put the drawing in the window of the shop in the first couple of weeks before the shop had opened, with the title printed out large saying "OYEZ OYEZ OYEZ, Where has the Flat Pole Cabbage gone?
People came by with tales, reminiscing about this long lost vegetable. Apparently there is a lady in her nineties who used to grow Flat Pole Cabbages just a decade ago near by in Newton Abbot.
The Flat Pole Cabbage has become a historic emblem for the project, the drawing is now on cotton bags for sale in the local shops on Winner Street and postcards were sold too of the drawing.
Victor Platea 2012
Holly Smith
Perspex Etching and watercolours on Hand made Copper Press paper
Perspex Etching and watercolours on Hand made Copper Press paper
May 2012
Victor Platea 2012
The arms are a simple map of Torbay,
with the red enarched chief representing the Paignton red earth, the yellow is
the sand and the blue waves at the bottom the sea.
The windmill - represents the old windmill, which
used to be on Paignton’s seafront to welcome the holiday - makers. It also
represents the mills used when agriculture was a great part of Paignton.
The wheat sheaves - represent agriculture, which in the
past was a great part of Winner Street.
The
Flat pole cabbage - Many years ago Flat
pole cabbages used to be grown all around Winner Street and also in Palace
Avenue Gardens.
The crown - placed on the
mermaid’s heads is coloured red, the colour of Devon earth, and has four crenellations
for the four old councils.
The blue and gold livery colours
refer to the sea and sands of this seaside resort.
Blue also featured in the arms or
devices of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. These are also the livery colours of
the arms of Nassau, commemorating the
landing of William of Orange at Brixham, to become King William III.
The Dolphins - in the crests of
both Paignton and Torquay, and are commonly found in the arms of seaside towns.
At the top of the dolphins is a
Bishops Mitre as the Bishops of Exeter used to stay at the Bishops Palace just
off Winner Street it is thought around the late 14th century.
The cash register - represents
the till from ‘Are you being served.’ The comedy was based on Rossiter's the
family department store, which was first based on Winner Street in the 1850’s. It
also represents the many shops Winner Street has to offer.
The grapes - represent the
vineyards that were apparently once was grown on Winner Street.
The supporters are mermaids taken
from the sculpture that welcomes people to Winner Street, off Totnes Road. The
mermaids have seal lions bodies, and are derived from the sinister supporter of
the arms of Devon County Council.
Each of the arms of the cross
resembles a letter W and S for ‘Winner Street’
The title Victor Platea 2012 is ‘Winner Street’ in Latin
"Are you Paignton's next town crier?"
Holly Smith
Still from film , 40 mins
May 2012
‘A Tribute to Roov Andrew’ Part.1
June 2012
‘A Tribute to Roov Andrew’ Part.2
‘A Tribute to Roov Andrew’ Part.3
May 2012
"Are you Paignton's next town crier?"
Torbay currently does not have a Town Crier, Roov Andrew was the last crier for the bay, but ended his role when Brixham decided that they wanted a crier who was born and who had grown up in that area.
Smith's work has always been very linked to the subjects of 'home' and the term 'local' and wanted to interview Roov to see how he felt about being let down by his community, but to also find out what leads people to become a town crier. Unfortunately Roov was not available, so Smith interviewed the great Lez Ellis the town crier of Dartmouth and his wife liz . Smith soon learnt from Lez that he is the crier of Dartmouth because he loves the town and wants people to know more about it, which is exactly what Smith wanted to achieve with her work towards Winner Street. This progressed in Smith making a town crier outfit for Winner Street in the colours of Paignton Pier and read a cry out for the Jubilee Street Party rejoicing the history of Winner Street, and for the opening of 93, Winner Street.
Gunther Loschner Visits Paignton, June 26th
Gunther Loschner’s Cabbage Pole
June 2012
Gunther Loschner Visits Paignton, June 26th
Paignton's twin town is Hamelin in Germany, which is famous for its medieval folk tale 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin' The earliest references describe a Piper dressed in Pied (Multicoloured clothing) leading the children away from the town never to return. In the 16th century the story was expanded into a full narrative, in which the piper is a rat catcher hired by the town to lure rats away with this magic pipe.
'Gunter Loschner visits Paignton, June 26th' Is work in progress, its an event which hopes to coincide the Flat Pole Cabbage with the Pied Piper. Gunter Loschner is currently the Pied Piper of Hamelin which celebrates the tale frequently with children dressed as rats which follow Gunter while he plays his pipe. This brings Hamelin a lot of trade through tourism, and whilst working in Paignton Smith found that there was not any annual historic celebrations which she feels is a great importance to a holiday resort town and for the local people to know more about there area.
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