Emma Smith

Ground Orleans House Gallery, London July - November 2008 In 2008 Emma Smith worked on a four month residency at Orleans House Gallery that resulted in a solo exhibition. During the residency Smith undertook research in Twickenham, UK and Chantilly, France, looking at the history of Orleans House, the construction of legacies and myth around the site and the impact of these upon the gallery’s contemporary use and the behaviour of its users. In order to investigate the site Smith organised a number of live events throughout the residency including: Cricket Re-Match Working with cricketers from Twickenham Cricket Club and Australia and students from Orleans Park Secondary School, Smith held a re-match of an Australian vs. Orleans game played on the site of the school playing fields, then property of Orleans House in 1878, to settle the score, which was not recorded at the time. Australia won by 42 runs! River Expedition Smith hosted a series of river expeditions on the 18th Century rowing boat the Jubilant to explore experiences of Orleans House prior to it being a publicly accessible space. Departing from Richmond Boat Houses on the riverfront in Richmond, Smith asked passers by if they had been to the gallery before and if not asked them to join her for an expedition. Passengers were then rowed on a circular trip past Orleans House by Smith and Twickenham Rowing Club, which was originally founded by the Duc D’Aumale, resident of Orleans House for 30 years. Passengers responses to the house were filmed and made into a short film. Staff Banquet 279 years to the day, Smith staged a re-enactment of a banquet, held in the Octagon Room at Orleans House for Queen Caroline. The banquet was for all staff and volunteers at the gallery and was based on excerpts from the original menu served on 13th August 1729. The meal included haunch of venison, pigeon, chicken and peaches, vegetable stew, oysters and much more. The meal provided a celebration of the tradition of communal dining at Orleans House, resplendent to the present day. Dog Day In order to trace surviving relatives of previous famous canine residents of Orleans House, dating back to the 1700s, Smith staged a Dog Day, advertised on BBC Radio London, for dog owners, experts and walkers to share information and attempt to find any living relatives. The day included a group dog walk of the grounds, photographic portraits of all dog attendees and then a consultation and psychic reading to sense dog spirits and to see if any of the dogs present were historically connected to the site. The Marriage of Robert Lord and Laetitia Goncalves For the opening day of the final exhibition Smith hosted a live and legal wedding as a performance of ceremony to evoke the original use of the Baroque Octagon Room. Robert and Laetitia responded to an interview with Smith on BBC Radio London searching for a couple who were happy for their wedding to be publicly attended as a performance and who in exchange could get married for a tenner.

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