A packet of crisps and a bottle of coke was a year long research project and series of events looking into my fears and growing up in Bradford at the time of the yorkshire ripper.
The project takes my encounter with Patricia Atkinson a Yorkshire ripper victim as a starting point and also giving me the title of the project, has patricia bought me a packet of crisps and a bottle of coke at my uncles pub the night before she was murdered. exploring my fear and growing up in Bradford at the time of the Yorkshire ripper. looking at the sights and sounds that shaped the landscape of this time whilst looking at my own personal fear. I also looked at fear for women and collected stories from women on how it felt for them living in the North while a serial killer was about. Exploring how women felt about being told to stay in doors and how instead some women chose to march on the streets with the Reclaim the Night marches. Addressing the present and how these marches still take place and how women still fight for safe streets.
for full information about this project please visit the project blog page.
http://apacketofcrispsandabottleofcoke.tumblr.com
this project was supported by Arts Council England
Below is a few samples of Art works and Images from the project.
Talks
through out the project talks were held were women would recall their experiences and memories about the time of the yorkshire ripper and how it felt for them living in fear. some of these stories went into the book i produced called “on high Alert"
”.and then, as soon as I close my garden gate behind me, I am on high alert! I am looking out for any figure in front or behind me. I cannot relax and enjoy the night. I peer into the cars that line the road to be aware if anyone is sat there. Sometimes there are lone men sat in the drivers seat with the engine switched off and my heart rate goes up and I quickly cross to the other side of the road. I walk silently, you cannot hear my steps. I know all the doors I can knock on if I lose my nerve, if I think someone might be weighing up their chances to rob, rape or murder me. I practice my breathing, deep and silent to ground me.“ una baines
Public Street Actions
street action against violence towards women.
According to a study by Lancaster University, it was found that incidents of domestic abuse rose by 38 per cent when the England team played and lost when compared with the days that England did not play.
The study also reported that there was a carry-over effect, with an 11 per cent rise in cases of domestic abuse the day after a match.
As a response to this I organised a flash mob event on june 24 at the time of the england match.
Reclaim the Night March
empowering women’s march on the streets of leeds together shouting against rape shouting out for safer streets and that no means no.
Workshops
sound walk event “on high alert”
As part of this project i conducted a sound walk workshop for women on the streets of leeds.
looking at how the city environment and sounds effects women in relation to fear
and how women constantly feel in the state of “on high Alert” while out walking.
this workshop was supported by Leeds Inspired.
