The Entranced Essence

When I saw an Open Call on the theme of "Entranced Essence", hosted by a gallery that specialises in experimental and conceptual work, I immediately buried myself in the studio and finished three pieces that were calling out to be submitted. To my delight, all three works were accepted for the exhibition, also forming part of a backdrop for two performance art/spoken word/music evenings.

The London gallery, RuptureXibit (+Studio), describe themselves as "an exhibition experiment run out of a working studio, staffed by working artists and volunteers", and in keeping with their ethic of encouraging artists to stretch beyond their current boundaries, also gathers the exhibiting artists together for a mutual discussion of their work. For the self-taught, especially, this is a really valuable opportunity.

Instead of the usual Opening event, there was a "Finissage" at the end of the exhibition period. This was a reception with a difference, incorporating a superb selection of art/poetry/sound performances alongside the visual art. I highly recommend you get on their mailing list and attend one of their fantastic happenings!

My three takes on "The Entranced Essence":

THAT'S NOT HOW I REMEMBER IT

INDUCTION

THE INEVITABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

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Hallmark

THAT’S NOT HOW I REMEMBER IT

Recycled fine silver (patinated and hall marked); flotsam wood/iron object; salvaged iron tube; cork and stainless steel.

15cm x 8.5cm x 23cm

An opportunity to consider the fundamental role of perspective in the interpretation and re-interpretation of our experiences; the way perspective affects the brain's experiences and its memory selection, focusing towards and away from certain stored data according to an algorithm of alignment with the current state of mind.

A mould of the wood and iron textures was taken and then transferred to fine (99.9%) silver and patinated. Being a large piece, the silver was required to be hallmarked, by law. The silver and the iron have been sealed to prevent degradation, tarnishing and change of colour.

On a recent trip down under I was reminiscing with my sisters, and was struck by how differently we remembered/perceived various shared experiences. We each had our own unique memories of certain events, sometimes quite different to each other. In addition, I noticed that the stories told about some of these events had changed over time, reflecting our current ways of thinking about them. Sometimes the current perception was very beautiful and shiny in comparison to the rough and rusty circumstances being described, and this is what I seek to embody in this artwork.

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INDUCTION

Fine silver (recycled), patinated fine silver; driftwood; and salvaged iron.

17cm x 27cm x 6cm

The offer of power to navigate dark constriction and stay the course.

This art work started with a beautiful piece of New Zealand driftwood, gifted to me by my sister, Inanga Rose. The silver "trail" was then created in response to the shape of the wood. The stand I dug up out of the garden, I think it is from a Victorian fencing system, and the rings are very poignantly from our (grown-up) children's swing set, recently demised. I see the rings, coils and wire wrapping as reminiscent of magnetic induction coils, hence the name, and the silver as representing another kind of induction - into the ways of life on earth.

It's a piece about triumphantly making it through the ups and downs of life and celebrating the help we get with that along the way.

Crocheted fine (99.9%) silver wire, embellished with further fine silver, mounted on driftwood and wrapped about with salvaged iron. Patinated silver wire binds the base metal together. All the silver, iron and wood has been sealed to prevent degradation, tarnishing and change of colour.

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THE INEVITABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

Recycled fine, patinated, silver; waxed cotton; salvaged iron, stone, concrete.

40cm x 33cm x 12cm

Exploring the idea that no matter what the body and mind experience, the soul cannot be harmed. 

Mounted on salvaged, flotsam iron, the silver here is formed from crocheted fine (99.9%) silver wire whilst the textile portion is knitted waxed cotton. The silver and the iron have been sealed to prevent degradation and tarnishing.

I've recently enjoyed exploring concepts around the idea that the soul cannot be harmed, no matter what the body and mind experience, . I have found it very comforting to think of life like this, when I remember to do so, especially when considering the trauma and horrors that many experience and the deep sadness people feel about loss of life in unexpected circumstances.

In this work we have someone who is having a very tough time, entering an even tougher time, but the idea is that their success is assured, no matter what happens in the physical realm, because the soul remains whole and pure and unaffected..