“The Democratisation of Knowledge” takes inspiration from specific groups in the
community that aren’t easily heard to uncover the hidden stories of Grantham through
lockdown and celebrates Grantham’s heritage as a seat of learning and home to the
Trigge chained Library, founded in 1598 for the ‘better increasinge of learnings and
knowledge’ – the first public library in the country. It is still housed in its original setting in St
Wulfram’s Church for the education of everyone.
The Covid-19 crisis has impacted working and personal lives, ultimately requiring us all to
re-invent ourselves, be flexible, creative in how we use our skills and experience and to
take on new roles. Since many families have been through the unique experience of
national school closures, with women statistically more likely to have taken on the majority of the childcare, they were asked to reflect on their experiences of home-schooling. The sculpture documents these contemporary stories and fuses them to the town’s rich heritage in celebration and reflection at a time of re-evaluation across the globe.
