Martydom of the Ten Thousand (detail), work in progress. Photo by Martyn Sheppard
I invited Martyn Sheppard for a studio visit recently to document my pangolin-inspired installation, in progress. The work will be part of a group exhibition Together We Rise with RSS members at Chichester Cathedral, 27 June-6 Sept, curated by Jacquiline Creswell.
Martydom of the Ten Thousand is inspired by the plight of pangolins, trafficked and slaughtered in thousands. Multiple forms will suspend, rising and pouring. Stifled, vulnerable, ghostly, they suggest pain, loss, death, but also resurrection. There is hope in their elevation. I’m using recycled materials that are wrapped, hand-sewn, tie-dyed with home-made plant inks, and waxed over woven structures. Stitch by stitch, the labour-intensive process speaks of care and repair.
Not only are Pangolins the most trafficked mammal in the world for their scales and meat, but they are also being killed through mis-understanding about their behaviour and ecology. Pangolins are ‘the politest of all wildlife species!’ (SWARA magazine). Pangolins are gentle and shy, they roll into a ball when under threat, and only eat ants and termites, but many people fear them. Awareness and education about them is vital for their survival, along with farming practices that promote healthy soils - non-toxic to insects - to support bio-diversity. There is no evidence that the keratin in their scales have any medicinal value.
I’m excited to be working with SPAEDA (Alice Crane) again for Circle of Life, a project at Churchstanton Primary, inspired by the Lion King production, which the whole school will be visiting. We will be making collaborative costumes/headdresses, and there will be dance and music.
I’m also delighted to have been selected as a creative practitioner for Lifebeat's Art in Somerset Schools project later this month, with an arts and wellbeing focus.
Giant Snowdrops, Collett Park, Shepton Mallet, Snowdrop Festival
Last month my giant Snowdrop sculptures were installed for a week at the entrance to Collett Park, Shepton Mallet for the Snowdrop Festival. Thanks to Shepton Snowdrops for the commission, Gill and Steve Sakakini for helping me install them, and Jack Robson and Euan Wilmot for helping with the de-install.
I used recycled plastic, fabric, copper and steel for the 3 giant structures, addressing environmental issues of waste, over-consumption, and our plastic oceans.
During the storms the wind and branches lashed against the bud, causing a bit of damage. But they survived fairly well and shone in sunlight.
As part of the snowdrop festival, I ran a workshop at the Art Bank with some amazing results from participants - most who’d never tried wirework before.
I was thrilled with responses to my sculptures in Gill Sakakini’s‘s Drawing On community drawing session. Gill introduced Georgia O ‘Keeffe to the group, so drawings were influenced by her work (and mine).
It was a pleasure to share my practice in an online talk with students at Art Academy London. I chatted about the trajectory of my art career to date - particularly residencies - and how they’ve impacted ongoing work.
Workshops coming up include one focusing on Greening the Arts via Somerset Art Works. I’m looking into taking key steps to move my practice forwards in terms of sustainability, and in relation to Postgrowth and Degrowth. More news on this soon.
I visited Louise Bourgeois: The Woven Child at the Hayward Gallery recently and loved it! I spent a long time at the exhibition looking, thinking and sketching. Bourgeois’ juxtaposition of soft and hard materials and her tactile marks of making - particularly stitch, are so expressive of vulnerability, anger, pain. I was interested in her use of the needle as metaphor - sometimes gigantic. And works that captured a pregnant pause:
I’ve always had a fascination with the needle… used to repair the damage… it is never aggressive (Bourgeois).
My work is currently on exhibition at International Biennale, Paper Fiber Art 2021/22, Change: NTCRI, Nantou 54246, Taiwan; 12 Nov-10 April ’22.
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Finally, as a valued follower, I’m offering you a special Spring discount of 10% off any item in my shop. Use code FISPRING22 at checkout to claim your discount. Hurry - it expires on 31st March 2022!