Lucy Harrison – The Works 01.07.16

The area around Cambridge railway station is being re-built. New office blocks, flats and retail spaces have appeared very quickly and fill in the gaps between earlier developments on the old Cheffins Auction site on Clifton Way, Hills Road and the Microsoft Research building.

Lucy Harrison’s project “The Works” records the changing scene by interviewing local workers, asking them to keep diaries recording thoughts on their jobs and working lives. Some of the subjects have lived and worked near the station for years while others are new to the area. They include railway staff, a retired train driver, ex-photographer, graphic designer, software engineer, researcher and pub landlady. Working with graphic designer Sara Carneholm the results have been collected in a 24 page book (1 page per hour of the day) and displayed as seven info panels (1 for each day of the week). The panels are located outside Murdoch House, an office block immediately opposite the railway station entrance. Lucy has also collected historical images of work places in the vicinity, including Cambridge University Press. Referencing the perpetually changing industrial landscape Lucy printed examples of woodblock type at the Historical Printing Room in Cambridge University Library.

The project is part of the CB1 Public Art Programme.
Copies of Lucy’s book “The Works” are available from ELAN.

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