Sensory Activity Modules (S.A.M.)
Sarah Crawford with Ashfield School, Leicester
S.A.M is made from two child's height wooden arches with a silver pole suspended between them. The arches are painted pale blue on the inside, and orange on the outside. Two circular holes are cut into each arch - one circle above the other, with the upper circle being smaller than the lower - to allow children to see through them.
On the silver pole are suspended two white plastic boxes, studded with brightly coloured protruding plastic beads. The centre of one box is covered with brightly coloured p.v.c. fibres like hard, spiky plastic grass, arranged in patterns. One side of the other box has a circular, holographic mirror covering its centre. In the other side are suspended three horizontal clear plastic tubes, filled with glitter, beads and plastic goldfish, which can be turned round to make the contents move.
Above and below each box, soft, plasticised shapes protrude in a variety of different colours. Those above one box are reminiscent of silver claws with a purple circle in the centre of each, while those above the other box are reminiscent of poppies within a larger purple circle. The shapes below the boxes are more complex, but are reminiscent of hands.
Within the exhibition, a wheelie stool allows non-wheelchair-using children to play alongside their friends.
© The City Gallery, Leicester and the artists: 2001
This site was built by Ju Gosling aka ju90 during an artist's residency at Oriel 31 in November 2001