Dance Artist 

The Castle Project was Sian Goldby and Sandy Dobson's second creation under the banner of Protocol Projects. The installation was performed in March 2013 in the medieval remains of the old castle keep, which sits in the castle grounds in Guildford's city centre. 

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The work was a development of their first installation The Protocol Project, and was inspired by the different textures found within the building, developed through hundreds of years of restoration and conservation.

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As with The Protocol Project, the work was comprised of two parts; a performance piece, designed to be repeated at several points throughout the day, and an interactive installation whereby the audience were invited to explore the space through their own movement. 

 

Excerpts of film were projection-mapped onto the stones of the castle, mapping it's shapes and textures, and evoking a sense of harmony between both the inside and outside space, and with the ‘otherness’ of our digital creations. We wanted to reflect the layers if history that were sedimented within the castle walls through creating an almost dream-like atmosphere. As the performance progressed, the performer disappeared down the digital rabbit-hole from reality into illusion; a nod towards the Alice Through the Looking Glass statue which could be found just a stones-throw away. 

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The Castle Project was supported by The University of Surrey, Guildford International Music Festival and Guildford Borough Council. 

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Image credit: Jessica Smith