More than Oliver Twist (2020)
By
Morgan Tipping & Mel Rye
Archive photograph of staff members and residents at Y Dolydd, taken from https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-workhouse-network.
More Than Oliver Twist blends social research and socially engaged creative practice to create a moving and resonating digital exhibition.
More Than Oliver Twist draws together research into the lives of real workhouse residents taken from the 1881 census across 6 workhouses in England and Wales. These lives have been interpreted in a moving and resonating digital exhibition published on Google Arts and Culture. The exhibition links the historical enquiry with contemporary issues. The project has also created the largest known database of biographies of individuals and families who encountered the workhouse during their lives.
The project lead is Megan Dennis and The Workhouse Network chair is Jan Overfield-Shaw . Visuals and design by Mel Rye Illustration, audio and contemporary response animations by Morgan Tipping. Thanks to Wednesday Batchelor and Elspeth Hunter for their production support. Enormous thanks to everyone involved in the project across the six sites who made invaluable contributions through many hours of research into the biographies, and by supporting the development of the creative commission. Please refer to the platform for full credits featuring regional contacts, research mentors, specific researchers and regional presenters.
More information: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-workhouse-network
Image credit: Mel Rye
