This work, for a York Explore residency, was based on a trove of material left to the City by the Knowles family of stained glass painters. The quote above was found, handwritten several times, in the notes of JW Knowles, and served as inspiration for the main, central panel.
The piece not only brings forth the spectacular work done by glass painters over 600 years in York, but reminds us that, as has been said elsewhere, one does not remember what happened. What one remembers becomes what happened. This is as true for a city, and its archive as the memory, as it is for an individual.
After photographing material, a digital collage was made. This was printed onto acetates, which in turn were used as negatives for cyanotypes on tissue paper.
The final window was 2.8 x 1.4 metres.

Left: Digital Collage for the central panels, including the quote in JW Knowles’ script.
Above: Window during installation (December 2018).

Left and above: The full window, which shared in other exhibitions while in situ.

Above left: Central panel quote
Above and below: details from side panels

Left: Full collage of entire window
Above: Information was placed around the library giving background about each section and encouraging visitors to view the source material for themselves, in the archive.