image by The Margate Exodus, Penny Woolcock, Commissioned and produced by Artangel, 2006.
The Margate Exodus is Artangel’s major commission for 2006
– following on in the likes of previous major commissions including Rachel Whitread’s House (1993) and Jeremy Deller’s The Battle of Orgreave (2001).
Bringing together film-maker Penny Woolcock with artist Anthony Gormley and musicians Brian Eno, Rufus Wainwright and Cody ChesnuTT amongst others,
The Margate Exodus will transform the seaside town of Margate into a contemporary setting for an epic film in which local people play all of the parts. The project is a dynamic fusion of internationally acclaimed artists and undiscovered local talent – combining music, theatre, site-specific contemporary art and film.
The Margate Exodus brings together international artists led by Penny Woolcock, including sculptor Antony Gormley, and songwriters Rufus Wainwright, Brian Eno and Imogen Heap, alongside local musicians, singers, actors, costume-makers and set-builders to create a timeless story of identity, migration and the great movement of peoples across the world in search of a promised land.
Written and directed for Artangel by acclaimed filmmaker Penny Woolcock, the story of Exodus is told for the present day as a feature film for theatrical release and Channel 4 broadcast in 2007. Exodus Day on Saturday 30 September takes place in Margate’s town center, at the Winter Gardens, along the Seawall, through the streets and in the Dreamland funfair.
The audience follow an audio trail of the photographs by collecting a headset from a central pick-up point in town or downloading the audio trail as a podcast from the Margate Exodus website.
