cane hill project | art by artists
Last update: 20|04|04
Cane Hill Project



cane hill - lunatic asylum
michelle

Excellent drawing of the Admin Block as it appeared in February 2004. Michelle mentioned being especially creeped out by the open circular window.




the man who sold the world - cowboy sleeve
Mike Weller

Some sites attribute this alternative cover to George Underwood, an artist friend of Bowie, who designed some of his earlier sleeves (and was also responsible for Bowie's different coloured eyes after punching the singer after a row over a girl).

The story states that Bowie commissioned Underwood to produce a sleeve and, at the same time, commenced with his own 'drag cover'. With the Bowie-in-a-dress design upsetting the US record company, the shelved Underwood sleeve appeared instead. a move which appalled Bowie.

However Underwood doesn't mention this sleeve in his biography or include it in his portfolio.

Some other sites suggest Mike Weller as the artist. A poster designer and friend of Bowie, he was asked to do a cover, and set out to capture the mood of the album. The cover was first called "Metrobolist" (after Metropolis), and Bowie was initally enthusiastic with the design. But he later disowned it.

Weller used a Cane Hill brochure to sketch the facade. The foreground shows the "Running Gun Glues" figure. modelled on John Wayne, and the character has just shot out the clock faces in the tower. Bowie wanted the cowboy to have an exploding head, but Weller compromised and drew his Stetson being blown away instead.



the cane hill art project | introduction
richard higham

"We spoke back in April about an art project devoted to Cane Hill, when I asked permission to use your website as a resource. After you verified it would be OK, I used your site for much inspiration and gained many resources (always referring to the fact that your site was the foundation for my project!)

The collaboration (with my fellow artists) fell into a giant abyss so I soldiered on alone, completing what I must say was the most enjoyable art project I have ever completed.

After completion of the project, Internet at my home became disabled, disallowing me from sending you images of the work I created. Fast forward six months and I have Internet access again!

This may sound unbelievable but I have just suffered a 'suspected' Psychosis including a 'suspected' Hypermania episode and defined by impulsive and chaotic behaviour (spending my loan and buying flights I never went on), which I found extremely unusual and I feel has given me more of a relation to these places as I now know what some of the patients felt.

In plain English I was awake 105 hours, burnt my whole student loan and roamed an Airport aimlessly. Three weeks before I quit Newcastle University during the second day of Freshers' week. I have now been classed as fully recovered. I am a peaceful being, yet have had a very stressful year. During my suspected 'psychosis' i had not one thought of harming any other human or living creature - except myself.

I am now dosed up on Anti-psychosis pills which, although free, haven't the most pleasant effect.

Please find enclosed images of my Cane Hill Art project, which without the discovery of your Cane Hill Project, would never have existed."

Richard Higham



the cane hill art project | #1
richard higham

"This piece focusses on the path of a mental patient as he enters the institution and is eventually driven to the brink of insanity and eventual lobotomy. I'm not joking when I say the blank space at the bottom was a microphone used to contact psychiatric nurses when support was required - I found this out from one of the psychiatrists who visited me last week!!!"




the cane hill art project | #2
richard higham

"This image shows my helmet sculpture sitting on its plinth, my sketchbooks and three screenprints. This image was taken at the college show."




the cane hill art project | #3
richard higham

"This image shows the full triptych, the images either side of the Main Hall image depict the collaboration collapse. By using fire and water I am also attempting to show how Cane Hill has been destroyed by these two main components."




the cane hill art project | #4
richard higham

"This image focuses on the arson attack on the Main Hall, which looking at your 2002 photos seemed to have been a beautiful structure. I have attempted to depict Outsider Art style theme alongside a watery mist finishing the job the arsonist scum started. I am fascinated by such cycles whereby a human starts the destruction yet nature finishes the process, in a much more dignified way."




the cane hill art project | #5
richard higham

"I was told by my tutors this was a weak piece of work but I personally thought it gave an impression of what some of the patients may have felt in Cane Hill."




the cane hill art project | #6
richard higham

"This image represents my whole project clustered into completion"




the cane hill art project | #7
richard higham

"This sculpture questions whether demolition workers feel even a tinge of guilt when tearing down legendary buildings such as Cane Hill. I feel they don't but it's open to interpretation."




the cane hill art project | #8
richard higham

"These three screenprints were conducted as a tribute to Andy Warhol's screens. One had a tray dropped onto it by the teacher in charge of drying them."




the cane hill art project | #9
richard higham

"These three paintings depict Terry Burns (in a vague sense to avoid offence ) a suicide bomber and a painting based on the Morgue at Cane Hill. Alongside this is the rest of my Show."