hyde park community orchard tender

Hyde Park Community Orchard Artwork Tender / Proposal Richard Dawson (Arbarus), Ann Gilligan (Green Monster Arts) and Jacqui Symons

Richard Dawson Mobile: 07932 050926 Email: [email protected] Ann Gilligan (Green Monster Arts) Mobile: 07989 529964 Email: [email protected] Jacqui Symons Mobile: 07801 837281 Email: [email protected] Postal Address Ann Gilligan ‐ Green Monster Arts 1 Rockbank Cottages, Micklehurst Road, Mossley OL5 9NN

PROPOSAL 1. Approach and Concept 2. Form 3. Materials 4. Interaction 5. Community Involvement and Engagement 6. Visualisations and Drawings 7. About the Artists 8. Supporting Material 9. Budget 10. Signature We will approach the creation of artworks for the Hyde Park Community Orchard as a collective of three collaborative artists; Richard Dawson, Ann Gilligan and Jacqui Symons. By pooling our skills, experience and expertise to deliver all aspects of the artwork we will ensure a high‐quality end product and offer wide accessibility, involvement and connection to all participants. Working in this way will ensure a successful and meaningful project. We feel that a holistic method, approaching the three project elements as one will result in a cohesive and consistent outcome ensuring the artworks enhance each other and work as a whole becoming an integral part of the Community Orchard. Working collaboratively across the project ensures greater value for money and consistency in working with the community, whilst allowing for a variation of skills amongst the artists and offers us opportunity to develop creatively from each other during the project. As a collective we offer the essential skills to work with the materials and techniques necessary to deliver an effective, exciting and worthwhile project successfully and economically.

1. APPROACH AND CONCEPT Our approach is to create bespoke artworks that reflect and compliment the orchard, using appropriate materials, forms and design. We envisage the artwork as being sympathetic to the environment yet enhancing and adding interest to the space ‐ artworks that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also have a purpose and reason for being there. As the orchard matures and develops, the artwork will become part of the environment as natural and organic as the surrounding fruit trees and plants. The artwork will aim to enhance and compliment the orchard environment aesthetically inviting visitors to explore and experience the orchard in a new way. The artwork developed will aim to instill a sense of fun and interaction through the inclusion of games, storytelling, exploration and discovery within the orchard. Initial artwork ideas These are our initial ideas and concepts; all artwork will be developed with involvement and inspiration from the community through consultations, workshops and hands on involvement. Entrance Feature / Gateway A sculpture in wood that creates a visually recognisable landmark that is sympathetic to the surrounding trees yet also draws the eye. We see this as a single or pair of upright features forming an entrance to the orchard. The design could include a reference to the orchard to indicate the area’s purpose. The feature would also incorporate ground level elements that are part of the pathway inviting exploration and interest in the orchard. Ground level elements could include bronze and stone casts and mosaic panels embedded in the pathways. Outdoor Classroom A series of benches created from cast stone and wood that incorporate designs and motifs from community workshops. Each bench or seat would have an individual identity so classroom users could choose ‘their’ bench ie. the Bee Bench or the Apple Bench. Benches could include slots for temporary sun shelters/umbrellas if needed. The decorative paved area would be created from cast‐stone, reclaimed brick and mosaic elements reflecting shapes and silhouettes from the themes of nature, healthy eating and the outdoors. Concentric circles depicting items from each theme would introduce elements of learning and play into the classroom flooring. Mosaic and stone wording would also be incorporated into this paved area. Wildlife Trail The wildlife trail would be a series of cast‐stone forms, possibly all spheres or oversize fruit seed and pip shapes that can be ‘discovered’ around the orchard. Low relief wording, plants, bugs, birds and animal shapes would be sculpted into the surface of these forms, creating rich texture and visual interest that is also informative and educational.

Each ‘piece’ could have a theme eg. leaf shapes or bird silhouettes. These artworks would promote discovery and excitement by encouraging games and interaction with the forms whilst following the Trail. As the trail is supported by the information boards we would anticipate developing them in consultation with the stakeholders and community and alongside the creation of the Wildlife Trail to ensure a consistent and cohesive design style. 2. FORM Our starting point will be to take inspiration from natural forms within the orchard and park, referencing the trees, fruit and other wildlife found there. Ideas include:

• Natural forms ‐ the fruit trees including seeds, leaves, bark and fruit. This will encourage learning, recognition and engagement and investigation into different tree types both during workshops and through engagement with the finished artworks

• Words – workshops responding to different senses within the orchard, resulting in poetry, word maps, reflection and responses to the environment of the orchard that will be incorporated in seating to inspire visitors to undertake their own sensory exploration and reflection

• Flora and fauna ‐ The wildlife and plants of the orchard and park will be incorporated into the artwork in relief form providing educational and inspiring pieces

We will also incorporate habitats for wildlife within the works such as bumble bee holes, bug houses, insect shelters and bird boxes. 3. MATERIALS We envisage using materials that reflect the orchard and the surrounding environs of the Park, its history and its future. Utilising materials that are unique to the orchard area within the park to create and reinforce its identity in a way that remains sympathetic to it’s established and future aesthetic. The materials chosen will be attractive, desirable, hard‐wearing and low maintenance. We will endeavour to use materials from environmentally sound and sustainable sources for all the work undertaken. We visualise the final pieces being created in a mixture of wood, stone, cast brick, bronze and mosaic using natural colours. Mosaics could also add jewels of colour to reflect an orchard with splashes of colours added by fruit, blossom and insects. Materials will include: • Timber – a traditional, attractive and hard‐wearing material that is associated

with and extremely suited to use within the environment of the orchard and widely present within the park as existing furnishings and artworks. We would

use predominantly English hardwoods such as oak to create unique and striking pieces and would incorporate sections of fruitwoods to create a real link to the trees present in the orchard. Timber seating reflects the beauty of the park and orchard providing pleasant and comfortable objects that are attractive, inviting, tactile and desirable.

• Stone (cast stone) – a modern, affordable, hard‐wearing and environmentally

sustainable version of a natural material. Cast stone is chosen to reflect the traditional building materials of the area; gritstone and erratic boulders of limestone that forms the path edgings already present in the park. Cast stone offers a great potential to realise and incorporate the inspirations and creativity of communities through directly incorporating artworks created in workshops into the finished pieces as sculpture, writing, personalisation, etc. Cast stone would weather in and become part of the landscape as the orchard develops.

• Reclaimed and Cast Brick – chosen in response to the visual texture of the

buildings near the orchard and to create a cohesive link between these and the artwork. Brick provides an attractive, hard‐wearing and easily maintained paving. Introducing cast brick elements offers a great potential to realise and incorporate the communities’ artworks, inspirations and creativity directly into finished pieces.

• Mosaic – mosaic would be used sparingly within the orchard’s artworks, adding

elements of subtle jewel‐like colour to the space, much as fruit adds colour to an orchard. Elements of mosaic wording would also be incorporated, using styles derived from traditional entrance ways and signage.

• Cast Bronze – a traditional and high value material that would be used sparingly

within the artwork to create hidden treasures amongst the trees. Cast bronze weathers well and becomes an almost organic element over time. It references traditional expectations of statuary and commemorative artwork that suits the park and pride in the orchard and achievements of the community.

4. INTERACTION We aim to create interaction through:

• Wildlife trail of hidden treasures • Rubbing blocks • Named benches • Creation of a journey through the orchard • Provision of a start point for story‐telling and imaginative discovery • Hints and clues of things to discover

An example of this might be the inclusion of five bronze bee and five apple artworks to be discovered within the Orchard.

5. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT Our approach would be to work with community members across all age groups to plan the artwork. We see our role as enabling everyone to express their ideas, thoughts and feelings creatively, sharing of ideas through dialogue and working together alongside the development of new skills and interests by the participants. The final piece should be the participants’ own, the artists taking the role of guiding and assisting the participants, and learning from the participants about the area, their interests and desires for the space. Workshops The design workshops would be structured to enable:

• Artwork produced by participants to inform the final pieces to install a sense of pride and ownership

• A chance for participants to try out different art techniques and learn new skills

• Development of layout and format of the outdoor classroom in collaboration with school groups and end‐users

• Allow discussion about the benefits of a community orchard and the wider issues of producing local food

We would work with the groups using

• Printmaking with natural materials to produce patterns and images for the designs within the artworks

• Sculpture exploring natural forms that would be interpreted in the structure and shapes of the artwork

• Onsite design and play sessions to develop inspiration for the artwork • Poetry and creative writing sessions to develop phrases and wording to

include in the artwork. These sessions will also encourage participants to think about the park in other ways than just visually – sounds and smells, thoughts and feelings, touch and shape

Ongoing Involvement We believe that any involvement with the Community Orchard should include consideration on how the artworks can be developed or added to in the future by artists and by community involvement Some suggestions for this include:

• Creation of a community recipe book based around ingredients from the orchard

• Wildlife trail guide, a community created celebratory publication in the form of an ‘I spy’ book

• Leaf print guide to the trees of the orchard and eventually the whole park • Additional elements added to the wildlife trail throughout the orchard and/or

park

6. VISUALISATIONS AND DRAWINGS Entrance Feature / Gateway Outdoor Classroom – Benches Outdoor Classroom – Decorative Paved Area Wildlife Trail

7. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Richard Dawson I trained in 3D design and have worked in a number of industries including architectural and product design, prototype toy design, production design and construction for theatre and TV. My artistic practice stems from an ongoing exploration into the reconciliation of my technical design and making skills with an interest in environment, traditional craft and materials. I am interested in modern concerns of recycling and sustainability and strive for my work to maintain links with the materials’ past usage as a key to our place in the world. I enjoy working with a variety of materials and techniques and get great satisfaction from realising projects in collaboration with others and find working to combine skills, experiences and interests an exciting, challenging and rewarding process. I am particularly interested in the creation of large sculptural artwork and seating from organic materials and enjoy working in outdoor settings whenever possible. I am currently in the conceptual stage of creating seating from trees felled during the ongoing work to landscape Mossley Park. My interests have also led to recent commissions producing sculptural work for the RSPB, interactive and educational works for Leicester Arts, Global Renewables, Ground Work and Birmingham Children’s Hospital alongside reclaimed timber seating for a local school. I ran Mossley Environmental Arts Project 2010 working alongside Tameside Ranger Service and local schools. Community Workshops I facilitate and run creative workshops in a variety of media and have worked in various settings and with a wide range of groups. Sessions offer an open, exciting and fun experience encouraging participants to work together and develop new skills and express their ideas and creativity to produce a unique and valuable personal or group art work. Recent sessions include:

• 5 Ways to Well Being for Manchester City Council JHU. • Sculpture and animation workshop for The Hub, Runcorn. • Mossley Environmental Art Project which produced permanent outdoor

artwork with young people aged 10 to 16 years. • The Royton High Barn School bench commission to produce a piece of

exterior ‘sculptural furniture’ from timber reclaimed from the old school building led to a programme of recycled timber mosaic workshops with pupils to produce large mosaic artworks to decorate a new‐build school.

• In collaboration with Jacqui Symons I have run ACE funded community arts events.

Relevant Skills In my career as designer, artist and maker I have experience in designing and realising projects in a wide variety of materials and mediums in any scale from prototype toys to large‐scale set constructions for television drama. I have well‐developed design realisation and communication skills and the ability to communicate ideas and concepts from initial thoughts through practical development and into final construction. Alongside this I have experience and training in a wide range of practical making skills ranging from metal and woodwork through to sculpture and technical mould making. I am used to working with a variety of specialists and contractors to stringent requirements of deadline and budget, enjoying the challenge of using and sharing my technical knowledge whilst working in diverse groups to facilitate the generation and realisation of creative ideas and works. As an artist, I enjoy collaboration and working with a variety of people, other artists, designers and members of the community. I pride myself on my ability to translate ideas economically and sensitively from 2‐D or 3‐D ‘concepts’ into viable, safe and visually exciting 3‐D structures. Ann Gilligan (Green Monster Arts) Green Monster Arts specialises in creative and exciting solutions for public art projects, community spaces, parks and play areas, celebrations, play schemes, and residencies and would be delighted to be considered to deliver this project.

Providing a friendly and reliable way for communities of all ages and abilities to work productively with artists, Green Monster Arts has an extensive portfolio ranging from large‐scale public art commissions to exhibitions and celebrations. Artforms include mosaic, sculpture (cast‐stone and others), surface decoration and metalwork. Working with other partners in the project is also an important part of our work this includes commissioners, funders, planners and architects as well as residents groups and local societies. Jacqui Symons Primarily a visual artist, Jacqui works in varied fields including graphic design and printmaking. Her printmaking primarily uses natural materials, specifically leaves and this has led to an interest and fascination with trees and other local flora. Her community and public art work includes mosaics, collage, murals, montage and inclusive design. She has recently completed two mosaic projects with local communities for the national Britain in Bloom competition and has worked with Ann Gilligan on a large‐scale mosaic project for primary schools in Oldham. She has collaborated with Richard Dawson on a number of projects, most recently a 3D wall‐based project working with young people in Wilmslow. She enjoys working with groups to realise their ideas and expectations, facilitating engagement, inclusivity

and self‐ownership. She has also received Arts Council England Funding to produce and exhibit a large‐scale origami‐based installation in Doncaster and to manage two community‐based projects with Woodend Artists. Jacqui has had extensive experience working with many different groups and organisations including residents’ groups, schools (both primary and secondary), youth groups connected with Youth Offending Teams and drug & alcohol abuse organisations, staff groups, mental health groups (community‐based, hospital based and in PICUs), older people, and general community groups. These have varied in format from being project‐based and requiring specific outcomes to drop‐in sessions and one‐offs and have been with both newly‐formed groups and established groups. Clients include New Charter Housing, Bolton at Home (Percent for the Arts), Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Lime, Manchester City Council and various NHS Trusts. A project with Pennine Care NHS Trust included ‘A Walk in the Forest’, a garden development in the courtyard of the Mental Health Unit. Funded by the King’s Fund ‘Enhancing the Healing Environment’ Scheme this project changed an unused concrete courtyard within Stepping Hill Hospital’s Mental Health Unit into a natural haven for patients, staff and visitors. The courtyard now boasts a mature garden with artwork including mosaic paving, glass monoliths and carved wood & cast steel benches.

8. SUPPORTING MATERIAL Images of Previous Work CVs

Phone 01457 837038 Mobile 07989 529964 Date of Birth- 12th June 1966

Full Driving Licence

Enhanced CRB Certificate 6th October 2010 Curious Minds Child Safeguarding Training 19th October 2010

1996 Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation ‘Planning for Real’ residential course

1995 Greater Manchester Open Colllege Federation Community Play and Playwork – Advanced Training Course

1992 Leeds Polytechnic RSA certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

1986-89 Bretton Hall College BA(hons) Art + Design (1st Class) specialised in sculpture

1984-86 Oldham College Art Foundation Course

1977-84 Saddleworth School 7 O’levels 2 A’levels

Ann Gilligan 1 Rockbank Cottages Micklehurst Road Mossley Lancashire OL5 9NN

[email protected] www.greenmonsterarts.co.uk

Richard Dawson Artist Designer Maker. Contact Postal: 60 Stamford Road, Mossley, OL5 0BG Studio: W2/429 Woodend Mill, Manchester Road, Mossley, OL5 9RR Mob: 07932 050926 Email: [email protected] Web: www.arbarus.co.uk Art forms: 3D, sculpture, craft, sculptural seating, kinetic. Skills and experience: I trained in 3D design and communicative media and have worked in industry as freelance designer/maker in architecture, product and toy design as well as TV, film, theatre and animation. Whilst teaching Design and Art Direction at NFS I became involved community workshops. I enjoy sharing my creative skills and passion through work as a community artist and creative practitioner on varied projects alongside being engaged in the creation of public art. I am particularly interested in sharing my skills and encouraging the creation of high quality art works using a variety of materials and techniques and enjoy working collaboratively with other artists on workshops and community creative projects to share skills and experiences. I have worked with participants aged from six to one hundred and two years and from all parts of the community. Inspirations: The surrounding environment, maps, technology, recycling, sustainability, literature, traditional crafts, myth, poetry, music. Interests: Rock climbing, art, the environment, writing, cycling, music, theatre, photography. CRB: Enhanced. Public Liability Insurance: 5 million BBC Design Risk Management Parts 1&2 trained. References: Katherine McClung‐Oakes Exhibitions & Collections Assistant Bury Art Gallery Moss Street, Bury BL9 0DR 0161 253 6497 K.McClung‐[email protected]

Ms Carmen Peruga Participation Manager ‐ YPSF 52 Oldham Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1LE 0161 228 7654 [email protected]

Recent Community Projects Creative Practitioner. Spike Island Flood Awarness. Interactive educational artwork in collaboration with Ann Gilligan for Groundwork. Creative Practitioner. Colshaw Estate 3D ‘street art’ project for Lime Arts in collaboration with Jacqui Symons.. Lead Artist. 5 Ways to Well Being sculpture project for MCC and JHU Lead Artists. Mossley Environmental Art Project for local schools in collaboration with Tamside Ranger Service. Creative Practitioner. Origami Workshops, Birmignham Childrens Hospital. Creative Practitioner. Kinetic art and animation workshops, The Hub, Runcorn. Creative Practitioner. Recycled wood mosaic workshops, High Barn School, Royton. Organiser. Cotton On, A.C.E. funded community art event Workshop Facilitator. Moorfield School Community Week. Workshop Facilitator. Creative workshops at Woodend Mill for New Charter Academy. Workshop Leader. ‘Origami Box Sculpture’ Workshop Leader. ‘The Big Draw’, St Chads, Uppermill. Recent Exhibitions and Commissions “Timber Seating”. Benches from felled trees for Mossley Park “Tactile Panels”. 3 interactive/ tactile panels for Leicester Arts Tactile Table artwork for dementia patients and young people. “Handy Weigh Green Machine”: interactive kinetic sculpture for recycling education centre, Preston. “High Barn Bench”. Reclaimed joist bench for school. ‘Music for the Imagination’: collaboration with The Sterling Trio chosen for and performed at UK Young Artists October, 2010 ‘Paperworks 3’: 2 kinetic sculptures for Bury Art Gallery exhibition including new commission ‘migration 2’ and mechagami community workshops ‘Chew The Float’: installation of ‘Lumen Memoria’ for a group show at Victoria Baths, Manchester ‘Like Swift Mercury Beneath Our Feet’: Commissioned sculpture for Illumini 2010, London. ‘trees dream of water they see as insects hear’: commissioned soundscape for Soundfjord Gallery Exquisite Corpse project, cd release November 2010 ‘Runcorn Hub Life’: Sculpture collaboration with ArtMikanic. ‘Origami Carousel’: Sculpture Commission for Birmingham Childrens Hospital. Design and Making Work Production Designer for BBC TV Drama Specialist Props Maker for Granada TV Sculptor for BBC Tv Drama. Associate Senior Lecturer in Design and Art Direction form Moving Image Production, Leeds Met University.

JACQUI SYMONS – CURRICULUM VITAE

Studio Address: Unit W2/429, Woodend Mill, Manchester Road, Mossley, OL5 9RR Postal Address: 60 Stamford Road, Mossley, OL5 0BG

Mobile: 07801 837281 Email: [email protected] Web: jacquisymons.co.uk

ART FORMS • Graphic design and digital arts, printmaking, stained glass, mosaics, collage, paper and origami, surface decoration, • Public art commissions and facilitation of a wide variety of visual arts workshops and sessions SKILLS • Creative workshop facilitation & tuition using a variety of visual art forms • Experience of working in all aspects of the community including youth work, older people, mental health,

regeneration, staff programmes and hospitals • Project Management of arts programmes • Proposal writing and funding applications • Public and private commissions undertaken • CRB Disclosure: Enhanced • Public Liability Insurance: £5 million RECENT EXHIBITIONS 2008 ‐ 2011 ‘Leaf’ Print Exhibition at Stockport Art Gallery (June – November 2011)

‘A Space Between V02’ Kinetic Origami Sculpture for Paperworks 3, Bury Art Gallery (Jul – Nov 10)

‘Together We Are Greater’ Solo Exhibition/Installation at The Point Gallery, Doncaster (March – April 10)

‘A Space Between’ Kinetic Origami Sculpture for The Brewhouse Gallery, Burton (July – November 09)

‘The Manchester Street Bureau’ at The Central Art Gallery, Ashton under Lyne (May – August 09)

‘Woodend Artists Showcase’ Group show at the Angel Urban Gallery, Salford (May – July 09)

‘A Space Between’ Kinetic Origami Sculpture for Nexus Art Café, Manchester (December 08 – January 09)

‘Fall’ Print Exhibition at Earth Café, Manchester (September – November 2008) – solo exhibition

‘Rags to Riches’ Recycled Installation (ACE funded event) at Woodend Mill, Mossley – group exhibition

RECENT COMMISSIONS (2008 – 2011) Birds and Bugs, Tatton Park Project working with New Charter to produce papier‐mache birds and bugs for a RHS Tatton Park garden Colshaw Estate Art Project – Cheshire East Council and Lime Art Working with young people to produce exterior artwork for the Colshaw Farm Estate in Wilmslow Our Park, Oxford Park – Public Art Commission for Tameside MBC Community Regeneration 10 exterior artwork panels for the Oxford Park Pavilion in Manchester using images and artwork from workshops Transitions – Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre BBC Children in Need project working with young people with Cystic Fibrosis to produce a CF information pack WRVS Cafe, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester Creation and design of two large photomontage panels (2m x 2m) with a layered flower design Save Withington Community Hospital Campaign, Manchester Commemorative photo‐montage artwork for the new community hospital

RECENT COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECTS (2007 – 2011) Project Manager and artist for GiveGetGo! Manchester City Council and Joint Health Unit: Volunteering campaign for young people in Manchester. Design of project, artwork and print with young people Artist, Manor Gardens, Bolton at Home: Working with a group of older people living in sheltered housing. General arts sessions and workshops using a variety of different mediums Artist, Britain in Bloom 2009 & 2010: Working with a 10‐16yrs group to produce individual mosaics as part of their Britain in Bloom Competition attempt. Graphic Artist, FKD Magazine Project, Salford: Working with group of young people in Salford identified as at risk of alcoholism. Workshops and creative sessions creating a magazine based on alcohol misuse and underage sex Visual Artist, Mossley Children’s Centre, Tameside: Delivery of project ‘A Wall for All’. Workshops and creative sessions with children, young people and the community to design and paint a large playground wall. In partnership with New Charter and Tameside MBC Associate Artist, Arc, Stockport: Facilitation of weekly visual arts and graphic design sessions at Arts for Recovery in the Community (Arc) ARTS PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project Manager ‘Ward Art’, Mental Health Unit, Stepping Hill Hospital, Pennine Care NHS Trust Management and delivery of arts project to include and involve in‐patients in producing art and creative work to exhibit on wards and other areas of the Unit. Associate Artistic Director, Arc, Stockport Organisation of Arc’s creative programme both within the centre and other outreach work. Working at strategic level to develop partnerships and increase creative services for mental health in Stockport. Project Manager, Arts, King’s Fund ‘Enhancing the Healing Environment’ project, Stepping Hill Hospital Working with a steering group, contractors and NHS managers to source, commission and contract artists to fulfill a brief of working with all stakeholders to create pieces of artwork for a garden created from an unused courtyard. Assistant Project Manager, Lime, Manchester Assisting Lime's four project managers and working across all Greater Manchester. Assistant in major arts exhibition for organisation showcasing Lime’s work in the arts and health field. Setting up a volunteer scheme.

EDUCATION 2005‐2006 Manchester College of Arts & Technology OCN in 3D Design ‐ Ceramics ‐ Distinction 1999‐2003 Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds BA (Hons) Event Management ‐ 1st Class 1995‐1999 West Cheshire College, Chester A Level in English ‐ Grade A

A Level Business Studies ‐ Grade B NVQ Level II in Design NVQ Level II in Customer Services

1992‐1994 Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology BTEC Visual Communications ‐ Distinction 1987‐1992 The Marches School, Oswestry 9 GCSEs – Grade A

2 GCSEs ‐ Grade B

REFERENCES Available on request

9. ARTWORK BUDGET ARTWORK COST Entrance feature / gateway £3,000 Outdoor classroom (inc decorative paved area) £11,000 Wildlife trail £6,000 TOTAL COST OF ARTWORK £20,000 10. SIGNATURE Richard Dawson

hyde park community orchard tender

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