PAST - PRESENT … FUCHSIA, Ralph Hoyte’s first major piece in
his year-long residency with the Bristol Alliance, is a 440ft (134m)
long text-based artwork on the hoardings around Quakers Friars.
Ralph Hoyte’s aim was to create a significant modern work of art.
It is a unique in that it is possibly one of the longest site-specific
text-based works in the country.

PAST – PRESENT …FUCHSIA is a poetic response to this
historically dense and significantly modern and central site. It
seeks to engage passersby in a richly allusive and elusive city
dialogue within a striking graphical framework. The title itself -
PAST-PRESENT…FUCHSIA - is, on the surface, a throwaway
pun, but it also tastes the temper of the times: will there be flowers
in the future? Do we have a rosy, or indeed any future at all?

PAST-PRESENT…FUCHSIA contains multiple references to the
rich cultures in and around Quakers Friars which are normally not
celebrated. It has been created by measuring the genius loci
through observation, experience and interaction with both the
communities living around the site but also with the site staff and
workmen. As a whole, it takes the onlooker on a journey, or
multiple – and some strange – journeys; or it can take the
onlooker unawares with one brief comment. PAST-
PRESENT…FUCHSIA is designed to be read from either direction
or anywhere along its run.

PAST-PRESENT…FUCHSIA starts at the corner of Fairfax St and
Broad Weir with a large-scale quote from Goethe. This quote flatly
denies the pessimism of the Age by reaffirming what we are; it
being in German, it references the Blitz which flattened this part of
the city in 1940; and, it opens us out to a wider Europe.

The work then asks ‘WHAT IS HISTORY?’ and, a little later,
‘WHOSE HISTORY IS IT ANYWAY? (here there are oblique
references to unsavoury parts of Bristol’s past history ie slavery).
A repetitive theme binding the work together is ‘FROM THERE TO
HERE’: taking multifarious starting points (for example, from the
West Coast of Africa or indeed the journey of Mankind from
beyond time and space): how did we get HERE?

Various cogitations around these and other themes then follow in
major and minor keys until the Frome Maidens make an entrance.
The Rhine has Rhine Maidens, why shouldn’t the Frome have
Frome Maidens? They form a type of Greek chorus and speak
their own elliptical language. The Frome, which still chunters
along directly underneath Broad Weir, is half the reason Bristol is
situated where she is. Bristol was founded at the confluence of
the Rivers Avon and Frome, an easily defendAble site which yet
had access through the Avon Gorge to the Bristol Channel, the
sea and the wider world beyond.

Other references in PAST-PRESENT…FUCHSIA are to
architectural styles (Iranian ones, for a change), a series of short
‘fashion statements’ (which reference the retail nature of the
development); bell-ringing changes; musical commentary from
Erik Satie; a sprinkling of obscure matters; Indian Classical music
rhythms; comments referencing climate change … and the work
winds down with a philosophical exhortation and a meditation
inviting passers-by to ‘listen to the sounds of the city’.
approach Bristol Castle attack away Castle Park banks Frome
bastard Matilda beautiful bereft brother capture castle cement
childless Bristol Christmas Stephen of Blois civil clergy Normans
commander conquered crisis country Henry I cowed defence Avon
domains Emperor of Germany drowned dubious encircled enemy
favourite force forces Henry fortune fragments garrison grassy White
Ship great heir Earl of Gloucester heiress hidden illegitimate
impregnable imprison inherit invaded keep land legitimate male man
Count of Anjou mistresses medieval Robert Fitzhamon motte - and -
bailey narrow Mabel natural nobility old Duke of Normandy pawns
peace politics princess promontery William queen Queen Adelaide
rage rallies rebellion reconnoitre reign Arundel reversal
Gloucestershire right-hand rule ruler seige slip son split step-mother
stone Robert stronghold Matilda succession swear throne timber title
troops war well-sited wife Stephen Matilda Stephen woman young
derived by taking most adjectives,
adverbs, participles etc out of a history
of Bristol then ranking the remaining
words in alphabetical order and
inserting early historically significant
figures, especially Stephen & Matilda.
PAST - PRESENT …
FUCHSIA
THE BRISTOL ALLIANCE ARTS
PROGRAMME