Respite: planning a site-specific artwork

Respite is a series of workshops led by local artist Lina Ivanova, in which participants temporarily step into the otherwise inaccessible to the public, Reeves Corner, to work together towards reinventing the site by co-creating a specific installation. Using photography and plants, participants will collaborate to reimagine the site. Returning to the site over the course of three sessions in September aims to offer a sense of continuity and to offer participants a chance to give and receive care. Participants are encouraged to bring along any plants, weeds, flowers, herbs from home which represent parts of their identity, life or bond with the area of Croydon. These will be used in the design of a series of cyanotype prints embedded in the architecture on the site of Reeves corner.

Sat 6th Sep, 11am-1pm

During our first session together, participants will be introduced to the project and the process. We will collaborate on the development and execution of a site specific installation of cyanotype prints on large cement pots. Participants will be invited to make prints on paper first to understand the process and develop ideas, we’ll then use a paper template of the cement pots surfaces to brainstorm the collaborative design.

Sat 13 Sep, 2-4pm

We’ll review our brainstormed ideas and reach a collective decision about the plan and design of the prints for each pot. We’ll begin the execution, using chalk to draw our desings on the pot and then applying a special coating to catch the design.

Sat 20 Sep, 11am-1pm

In our final session, we’ll use foraged plants and our own bodies to map out our designs and then it’s the big reveal! We’ll gather to share our prints and feedback, with a celebration of our work together.

ABOUT LINA IVANOVA

Lina Ivanova is a Bulgarian artist and teacher based in London. Driven by an investigation into the materiality of photography, her approach to practice is multidisciplinary, experimental and process-led. Drawing analogies between photography and sculpture, Lina’s work is informed by personal histories, social structures, and lived experiences, and reflects on archival and educational processes. Often site-specific in nature, her installations aim to foster a dialogue with local communities, creating a space for reflection and collaboration.

Lina graduated with a BA in Photography from the University of Portsmouth in 2015, co-founded Revolv Collective in 2017, and won the Turner Contemporary Portfolio Prize in 2018. Her work has been exhibited by institutions such as the RPS, Goethe-Institut Bulgaria, and Peckham 24. Since 2023, Turf Projects has supported Lina’s practice through several community project commissions in and around Croydon, marking a significant step in the evolution of her work toward a more socially engaged practice.