Mancky

Hosted by Alexandra Arts, One Day Wonderment was an ambitious art and film event in Alexandra Park, on the borders of Whalley Range and Moss Side, on Sunday September 30th 2012.

There was a Bicycle-powered Cinema showing a wide range of films from midday onwards, beginning with a documentary about The Suffragettes.

Dutty Lingo by Michael Anthony Barnes-Wynters, commissioned by Tate Modern, had its Manchester premier during the afternoon, although the final film The Fall was cancelled due to torrential rain.

The ‘Little Woodland’ area near Lime Walk was populated with sculptures by various artists plus Charlotte Newson’s portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst, the leading Suffragette who was born near Alexandra Park.

In the Tearoom, hosted by Performance Artist Mike Mayhew, an installation was created, based on the designs of Habitat lighting designer Claire Norcross.

For those with smart phones, there was a QR Coded Tree Trail, created by Graphic Nothing, who has also created a series of prints specially for the event; these can be purchased on-line, with proceeds going to charity.

Performance Artist Rosanne Roberts executed “a magnificent tree climb” after spending this week in Alexandra Park, overcoming her fear of climbing trees! She has reported on her daily progress via her on-line journal.

At The Speakers’ Corner, hosted by Fiona Ledgard (ALL FM 96.9FM), there were words from community groups, poets, artists, environmentalists, horticulturalists, councillors and others; contributors included Manchester Climate Monthly, the Friends of Alexandra Park, Moss Side Community Allotment, The Moss Cider Project, award-winning Skyliner blogger Hayley Flynn, and poet Mark Mace Smith.