A major new temporary work of art by Ramsgate resident, Theresa Smith, is premiered at this year's
Ramsgate Festival, 23rd July-31 July, and will be visible from the town on the Eastern harbour arm.
The words PERFUGIUM MISERIS will sit at the high tide mark and sink beneath the water as the
sea rises. The artwork is clad in photoluminsecent vinyl which adds a soft glow to the installation as
the daylight fades. As the tides change the words will come and go, reaching out to us across the
waves and reminding us of Ramsgate's unique maritime history.
PERFUGIUM MISERIS is an overlooked part of Ramsgate's history. It is the Latin motto carved
into the beautiful Georgian lighthouse, at the end of the western harbour arm and translates as
"refuge for those in need".
Many people in Ramsgate may have never noticed this motto before and the artwork will be a
surprising and thought provoking sight, encouraging deeper reflection on the nature of a harbour,
beacon and refuge from life's storms.
The installation highlights a message from the town to the world beyond and will stand as a
memorial to those who lost their lives beneath the waves beyond the safety of the harbour walls.
Many of those lives were lost in the Great Storm of 1703 which, through tragedy, brought about
significant change to Ramsgate. Widely believed to be the only true hurricane to hit British shores
at full force, the storm caused the deaths of roughly 1500 sailors from the Royal Navy on the
Goodwin Sands alone, that is without the countless lives lost in other vessels out at sea, as the storm
raged across the country. The need for a more effective refuge in the area resulted in a new harbour
design for Ramsgate, the reconstruction of the harbour commenced from 1749 and took a century to
complete with the lighthouse marking the harbour mouth.
Ramsgate resident, artist, Theresa Smith, specialises in public realm work and has an award
winning creative practice, Mooch, which has worked with local authorities, commercial companies,
galleries and private clients across the UK to create brilliantly diverse artistic interventions /
challenges in a range of locations that had been previously undervalued and perhaps overlooked.
Theresa has been inspired by the Ramsgate Harbour site's historical and present day context and
how it is seen and used by people, both in the past and now:
"Endeavoring to keep a sense of a piece of work being of its time, I also remain sensitive to the
historical perspective and work to marry the two sometimes seemingly juxtaposed facets.
When people see my work I want them to feel a connection, a sense that this has been made with
them in mind and for them to enjoy. The attention to detail and the materials selected are intended
to convey a concern for the participant and their pleasure in interacting with the artwork, both
physically and conceptually.”
This is the third piece of art created for Ramsgate by the artist, The Crown was produced in 2014 and Waterloo Paradise in 2015 and since its proposal and first meeting with the Harbour Master and
Harbour Engineer has received unequivocal support from them and the Ramsgate and harbour
businesses involved in the creation and installation of the piece, as well as from Ramsgate Town
Council.
Her contribution this year is more ambitious by far and has been made possible with support from
Arts Council England, who champion not only ‘ambitious excellence’ but ‘art for all’, Artaha
Productions, Brandon Tool Hire, Design map, Port of Ramsgate, Co-operative Group Ltd, Marlec
Marine, Audacious Marine, Patrick George, Neville Redvers-Mutton, Pro Sign, Ramsgate Town
Council and Thanet District Council, as well as the close collaboration of the Harbour Master,
Robert Brown with the Festival Producers, Ramsgate Arts. Considerable investigation with safety
experts and harbour users took place in advance of the installation which respects the listed status of
the harbour.
Teresa Askew, Ramsgate Festival Creative Producer said “This is a piece of art with huge site specific
relevance and value. These are the words repeated three times around our Smeaton designed
lighthouse and have been on the harbour since 1842, yet these Latin letters carry a
message as meaningful today as ever. ‘Perfugium Miseris’ is a beautiful work of art which
celebrates our heritage, which reveals the often over-looked detail around us and which promotes
enquiry, education and inspiration in the people who encounter it.”
Perfigium Miseris will be installed on the Outer Harbour wall on the East Pier, Ramsgate Royal
Harbour, facing back towards the town. It is best viewed from the shore side of Harbour and the
West Cliff.