"Generation Games"

The striking ‘Generation Games’ art installation is a series of visually dynamic large scale figurative panels created by KWoA artist Nikey Hunter-Dale and children based in Year 4 at Milnthorpe Primary School, which was displayed in the old Spar unit on the Square a part of project exhibitions. The intricately patterned figures reflect the children's responses to their research into playground games inspired by workshops with their older neighbours.

Local older people chatted to the children about the playground games they had played when they were at school during and after WW2. The monochrome figures represent an older person’s game that the children had never heard of or played before – ‘chain tig’. The colour figures represent a new game that the older people had never played – ‘home base’. The figures with colour and monochrome details represent a game both age groups have played or do play – football, gymnastics and running races.

"The children recognised many of these games as they still play them now but the older participants were also able to teach the children something new - an old playground game or two!" explains KWoA project co-ordinator Nicki Smith. "We are so pleased to be able to display this work in the Square at Milnthorpe as the children discovered that before their school was built, these older neighbours had used the Square as their playground when they were young."