#wantee

A stone’s throw from our make-shift bed in The Shippon, is the Merzbarn.

It’s hard to imagine that one of the fore-runners of modernist art worked in this tiny, damp space. But when the rain pours over the door, and the sun shines through the small, high windows, even the now-empty barn is a piece of art in itself.

Crumbling walls, now home to cobwebs, clinging to the remnants, the bones, of Schwitters’ imaginings for the Merzbarn.

Another piece of ‘found’ art he created, a “snake stick”- a stick that looked a bit like a snake - once hung above the entrance, but was stolen by some local scallywags years ago. The legend of the snake stick still lives on. Kids love it. We love it. Snake stick for president.

The window where Wantee would sell tea and cakes to passing walkers and climbers. Now a cakey-candley shrine.

We lit a candle for Schwitters and Wantee. Tempted to do a seance. No, no, mum told me not to do seances. Sigh. Bye Schwitters. Bye Wantee.