Dear Resident of __________________________________,
My name is Jill Chong and I am a second year student of fine art at Goldsmiths College. I am writing to you because I am currently doing a project based on English Heritage’s Blue Plaques scheme. My project’s premise is to question who or what is worth commemorating, since traditionally only famous and significant figures have had a blue plaque installed in the house in which they once lived.
To achieve this, I have made replicas of the plaques inscribed with statements to commemorate events that would ordinarily be considered mundane or banal, such as ‘I had lunch here’ or ‘I worked here’. I have attached some pictures as examples.
The next step that I would like to take with my project is to involve people who live in houses that have a blue plaque installed. I plan to take portraits of residents carrying a plaque reading ‘I live here’ together with the plaque installed in the façade of their house. This is to attempt to show that every resident of a house is worth commemorating, not only those who are famous.
As your house bears _______________________’s plaque, I would like to ask if you would be interested to participate in my project and have a portrait taken at your residence, at any time convenient to yourself. If you are keen, or have any questions, please write to me via e-mail at va802cc@gold.ac.uk.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Jill Chong
Dear Resident of __________________________________,
My name is Jill Chong and I am a second year student of fine art at Goldsmiths College. I am writing to you because I am currently doing a project based on English Heritage’s Blue Plaques scheme. My project’s premise is to question who or what is worth commemorating, since traditionally only famous and significant figures have had a blue plaque installed in the house in which they once lived.
To achieve this, I have made replicas of the plaques inscribed with statements to commemorate events that would ordinarily be considered mundane or banal, such as ‘I had lunch here’ or ‘I worked here’. I have attached some pictures as examples.
The next step that I would like to take with my project is to involve people who live in houses that have a blue plaque installed. I plan to take portraits of residents carrying a plaque reading ‘I live here’ together with the plaque installed in the façade of their house. This is to attempt to show that every resident of a house is worth commemorating, not only those who are famous.
As your house bears _______________________’s plaque, I would like to ask if you would be interested to participate in my project and have a portrait taken at your residence, at any time convenient to yourself. If you are keen, or have any questions, please write to me via e-mail at va802cc@gold.ac.uk.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Jill Chong