The Altered Animal 2023-24
This series explores our complex relationship with the domestic farm animal. I’ve been looking at the history of how such animals have been manipulated through breeding over time to suit our needs and agenda. I’m particularly interested in how they are presented to us as products through the filter of images/advertising/articles, what is glossed over, and the often polarizing views on the subject.
I want these pieces to be mainly focused on the abstract- familiar vessels that explore surface layering, textures, discord and opposites, contrasts. Contradictions, slight jarring of the slick and glossy with dark textured surfaces. Altering and distorting the form, cutting into the surface/through the walls of the pieces. Snippets of texts (taken from various articles/books) refer to the language of how animals are described and their ‘function’…intentionally hard to read, it reflects the overwhelming and complex layers of language and texts around the subject of farming and food. Some include decals: made from drawings I’ve created on paper then altered digitally. These are based on sourced stock photos. So the final fired imagery is very removed from the original animal portrayed in the photo.
Snapshots of the museum 2021-22
The work in this series is informed by multiple objects in The National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. It’s been a great source of inspiration on and off over the years, ever since I was an art student in the early 1990s (many of our weekly drawing classes were held there). I’ve always had a lot of interest in museum collections generally; how objects are chosen and grouped and, perhaps, what is left out. Its particularly interesting how by being in this context, objects that were previously insignificant are given a new status or value. Their new function is to be a part of the museum narrative; snapshots of particular times, places, cultures and contexts.
I was looking at the taxidermy collection with a particular focus on the extinct or endangered species (mostly birds). Previous work has also explored these collections and I carried out a lot of research into taxidermy a few years ago. I often go back to subject material and reinterpret it; my creative process is often circular. Taxidermy is of course a complex and controversial subject; and I think its purpose now is to educate about aspects of social history (attitudes to animals in the 1800s compared to now for example). These animals are long gone, but they offer a physical reminder of humans’ need to dominate and manipulate other species. In a way, this work is related to some of my previous pieces in that it is about commemoration, nostalgia and the language of the vessel. The vessel forms are a loose interpretation of a variety of objects – including antique lightbulbs, perfume bottles and glass vials and tiny decorated snuff boxes, and have been developed into familiar vessel forms: vases, bottles and lidded boxes. There is a long history of the vessel as a familiar object that is used to communicate a particular story, topic or reflect every day culture, and I see my work fitting into this context.
Contained Flora project 2020-21
This project began with the subject of formal and botanic gardens; and an interest in the structuring and ordering of nature and collecting and classifying the organic. As lockdown restrictions came into place early on in the project, the photographs/sketches/notes gathered in early 2020 in the Royal Botanic Gardens took on more significance as a snapshot of those moments, pinning down specific visits and seasons. I also began to draw my own house plants during prolonged stays at home, focusing on this almost miniature world away from the outside. The repetition of drawing became important, as a way to move the project forward and as a way to distract from the bigger issues. Ironically the original interest was in how we try to contain and control the organic, and yet we became the ones contained whilst the gardens continued to grow. Most of my drawings concentrated on the closeup of leaves, rather than as I originally anticipated of the wider garden space, and often those fallen and layered on the ground.
The process of creative development is as much part of the work as the finished work itself. In a sense the finished artwork is ‘merely’ the conclusion; its about the route to this and where it evolves along the way. The forms chosen are uncomplicated, and allow the surface to develop and show to its maximum. They are intended to be very familiar, domestic in reference, and build on the history of the vessel as narrative. The vessels are handbuilt, and have multiple surface layers built up through painting, low-tech printing, glazes and decals. The images are fixed in place but like with previous work it is looking at things that are evolving or changing or temporary, transient and rendering them permanent. Photos by A. Clark.
Other previous projects
Various series of work reflecting trips within mainland Europe; and museum taxidermy display.
