The idea of writing 'England' on England is extraordinary enough, but when you see the catalogue of work Simon English has done towards this project, extraordinary just doesn't cover it. English himself stated his land art became more about the stories of each area, and the story of his journey certainly captivated me.
There was something enthralling about a young man in his 20s hitch-hiking his way up and down England putting up flags and taking photos at specific points, especially in the context of today; I know my mother wouldn’t let me do it. What is perhaps even more impressive is that he chose to do the same journey 40 years later, painstakingly locating each site and marking it with a new flag in a project called England Revisited.
As someone who grew to despise art following A Level, I whole-heartedly appreciate English for reigniting my interest, and for displaying such passion and dedication to a project which has found followers nationwide over the years, and now continues to do so via the internet.
I know I’m not the only member of that audience who wants to go and find ‘England’ written in England.
Katie Bamford
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