Devon Open Studios

Philip Moore has recently been awarded an Emerging Artist Bursary by Devon Artist Network. This is ahead of the forth coming Devon Open Studios which takes place 7th-22nd September.

Hearne Farm is a unique and special venue with spectacular views across Devon to Exmoor. As well as Installations in the studio and out buildings the adventurous visitors will be invited to explore and find objects of curiosity in the orchard and beyond.

The family’s seed business Hill Top Seeds (now shut down) was the inspiration and subject matter for the main installation that visitors can see during DOS ‘Seed Farmer Machine’. Filmed over 4 seasons this is a close-up study of post war mechanisation in farming. A search for beauty amongst the chaos as the machine takes command.

“The seed processing plant is one of the most inhospitable places to film and record as the building is filled to the brim dust and noise. I first became fascinated by the sounds of the machines after a comment my father in-law, the ‘Farmer’, Percy Hill made. When the plant was at full tilt it would run through the night. Percy would sleep with one ear to a Walkie-talkie listening for any changes in machine sounds, an indication of a potential problem”. Amidst the chaos of noise and dust the machines were communicating to the Farmer. From this point on I tuned my ears to individual sounds and peered hard through the dust to link the sounds with the mechanised movements and started documenting the journey of a humble barley seed through this huge machine”.