Neil Ferguson

“that part of town you don’t have to go to…you are already there, you know it…”

George Perec

The process of Brexit has thrown into stark contrast the conditions and experiences between various communities living in the UK, illuminating the difficulties of existing in expanding global realities.

But what implications does this have on being local?

Fact: for over 30 years Neil and Amanda have lived 230 steps apart …

230 steps between… is a collaborative project between Neil Ferguson and Amanda Francis formed out of a series of meetings, writings and agreed activities exploring differing senses and experiences of being local.

What observations do Neil and Amanda (who both identify with the status of migrant) actually share? How might the presentation of their selected images, sounds and objects influence what others, notice, see or think?

Yes, observations keep being made, but is this what being local means?

What habits do neighbourhoods cultivate? What do we notice or ignore? What is worth recording? The collaboration offers modes of interaction to “place” or “situate” the visitor.
The work explores differing narratives and archiving of information, shared times that Neil and Amanda recognise and allow opportunities for others to personalise.