We were out in Margate last night.To witness the beginning of a new chapter for the rundown seaside town. So the publicity went. Tracey was in town to present her Neon artwork and to help promote the imminent opening of the Turner Contemporary gallery. Tracey made a moving statement about her love for her Margate and how it moved her to see so many happy faces before her and against the beautiful herring bone sky. Her artwork, title, ”I never stopped loving you", expressed her fondness for her home time, quite wistfully i thought and this seemed to be reciprocated by her local fan's who had replicated the sign in town by responding, ”we never stopped loving you too Tracey”. Tracey’s Neon shone out in pink across the harbour bay and one hopes that the sentiment is grasped by locals and visitor’s alike,in helping to make Margate feel loved again. We are all culpable and a bit responsible for the development in our towns. What they are and what we hope they may become. Margate is no exception. What i like about Margate though is it's own particular culture, which is grounded in it's predicaments and personalities .What happens when economic disenchantment arises and that indigenous community feel disenfranchised though? You cannot simply'airbrush them out'. This community may have no concern for artiness and the promotion of cultural activities. The domain of the middle classes perhaps. But these people do have reason to be in this place.
Can importing alien values really change the established culture of Margate then? Only by inclusivity ,diplomacy and engaging local residents in communal dialogues is this a way forward. Maybe Tracey being engaged in this process will help,after all she is a local girl and seems to have a genuine concern for the development of the town for all and not just the chosen few. Dream on for Dreamland was her moto and resuscitate the Margate sea front. Revisit the old seaside themes of childhood and family holiday's. Not such a bad thing. They worked the first time around so why not again?
The past has it's good points so embellishing the past ain’t such a bad thing..
Whatever happens in Margate though...let's 'keep it real'.
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perhaps with the volcano making air travel a little uncertain we might get back to taking hols in places like margate (and whitstable) again rather than increasing our carbon footprints. Let's hope that it is indeed time for the fortunes of margate to turn and to grow in new and exciting ways perhaps. I must admit I love the 'tat' of dreamland = brings back many teenage memories!!
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