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Nottingham Castle lights up with 100 faces

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A dazzling projection illuminating the historical site with portraits of local residents marks the lead-up to Nottingham Castle’s reopening.

Nottingham’s In Your Face illuminates Nottingham Castle with portraits of community heroes. Participants (L-R) Panya Banjoko, Poet, Archivist and PhD Researcher; Rosea Poynter, Paramedic with East Midlands Ambulance Service; Juliet Wright, Nurse; Suleman Salim, student at Nottingham Trent University

Set to reopen this spring following a transformational £30m redevelopment, Nottingham Castle has launched the lead-up to its unveiling with a spectacular installation putting local people at the heart of the heritage site. From NHS employees and teachers, charity workers and community leaders, poets and artists, campaigners, activists and more, the faces of 100 residents light up Nottingham Castle’s walls, illuminating the historical landmark with a dazzling projected display.

Nottingham’s In Your Face is a project commissioned by Nottingham Castle Trust and Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID). In a bold visual show created by Vent Media, vast portraits of people chosen to represent their local communities are cast onto Nottingham Castle’s Gatehouse. They appear alongside historical figures including Nottingham Castle’s notorious rebellious outlaw Robin Hood and quotes from Nottingham’s well-known poets, rappers and writers.

Bespoke portraits have been taken by local photographer Tracey Whitefoot, with three talented young photographers, Alina Moldovean, Sarah Mensah and Rohan Patel, working alongside Whitefoot in capturing photos of people from their local neighbourhoods.

Participants of Nottingham’s In Your Face include Juliet Wright, Nurse; Suleman Salim, NTU student; Rosea Poynter, Paramedic, Panya Banjoko, Poet, Archivist and PhD Researcher, Marcellus Baz BEM, founder of Switch Up and Nottingham Boxing School and Tryphena Anderson, retired nurse, midwife and Britain’s first black health visitor.

Due to the current lockdown restrictions, the Nottingham’s In Your Face project was been digitally captured and it is available to view on Nottingham Castle’s website and social media channels. Nottingham Castle Trust is planning to stage the projection in full later in the year – providing it is compliant with Covid-19 restrictions – so that community participants and the people of Nottingham can enjoy the spectacular display at Nottingham Castle.

Josh Osoro Pickering, Nottingham Castle Trust’s Engagement and Participation officer, said: “It was hugely important to us that we launch the lead-up to Nottingham Castle’s reopening by putting the people of our city onto our Castle walls. This striking artwork is a celebration of our diverse local communities – our essential workers, campaigners and creative talents – but the main intention of the Nottingham’s In Your Face project is to make a bold statement. Historically Nottingham Castle’s walls were built to keep people out and we wanted to repurpose them. By seeing a wide representation of local people projected onto this historical site, we want everyone to know that Nottingham Castle is their space; a welcoming, vibrant, creative world-class place that belongs to them.”

Lucy Stanford, Manager of Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) commented: “This is such an exciting time for the city and we are therefore delighted to be supporting Nottingham Castle with the Nottingham’s In Your Face project. The Castle plays such an important role in the city and brings a wealth of opportunities. We can’t wait to see the installation and very much look forward to celebrating Nottingham’s local heroes, past and present.”
Nottingham City Council Portfolio Holder for Culture, Councillor Dave Trimble said: “It’s really important to connect local people with their transformed Castle and this bold and creative initiative is one great way of achieving that. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what promises to be a really spectacular event”

Nottingham’s In Your Face is the first of a series of cultural events taking place at Nottingham Castle as it prepares to reopen, following a £30 million investment including Heritage Lottery Funding. The historical landmark has undergone an extensive programme of conservation, renovation and redevelopment which includes the creation of new art galleries housing permanent collections of fine-art and touring exhibitions, new mixed reality galleries exploring the 1000-year-old landmark’s rebellious past and the legendary outlaw Robin Hood, a new Visitor Centre and outdoor family play area.