2020

New Land

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The Covid-19 pandemic led to an enforced lockdown in the United Kingdom, which only allowed the public to go outside for an hour of exercise and to perform essential jobs. During my daily walk I began to visit my local green space; 2km² of privately owned land by Worthing and Hill Barn golf course. Under government regulations the golf course shut and became a new area of land that the public began to repurpose for their own use. People walked their dogs there, used it as a cycle path and access the benefits of being in an open green space. It was important for me to capture this landscape: Firstly, because it was the only time the public could completely utilise this space and will therefore become part of Worthing’s social history. Secondly, because going there has helped my mental health during this time. When you’re at the golf courses you can see for miles, right out over all of Worthing, onto the sea and round the coast line. For me this is especially important for putting life and my worries into perspective.

 

The aim of New Land is to capture the peace and tranquility this green space has provided for the local community whilst acknowledging how this very particular landscape, that was originally cultivated for private use, has been repurposed. This touches upon other complex issues of the private ownership of English landscape. I am particularly interested in how, despite the new restrictions around Government Guidelines around social distancing, it has, ironically, enabled private spaces to become accessible.