An Impossible (T)ask
Desiccated hydrogel and mica flakes, 110 x 65 x 40cm.
This piece references the feats of endurance or the antidotes to sorcery found in tales such as the Wild Swans and the Children of Lir where the protagonist is tasked with an arduous test of faith or physical exercise designed to counteract the evil spell of the usually wicked stepmother (who is trying herself to eek out an existence in a patriarchal environment). In this instance it is the societal expectation of combining the mother/provider/career professional/carer and idealised woman that is the impossible task and ask. Like a shed skin, the incomplete dress has been discarded, its occupant hopefully liberated…
Dream House
Desiccated hydrogel and mica flakes, 120 x 55 x 55cm.
This piece references the Mica Housing scandal and how dreams that are built to last can be easily eroded. As has been documented, mica was used as a bulking agent in concrete and its unintended disintegration has led to tragic and disastrous effect. In Dream House, the mica produces a shimmering unreal surface and entry is impossible. The house is made from a mixture of edible gels which are adapted for use in paper conservation, here they have been loaded with mica and desiccated to create a rigid structure. However, if exposed to the elements it will invariable turn to a pile of mush, a bit like the magic pumpkin in Cinderella.
Model Homes
Encaustic on printed panel, 40 x 30cm.
The use of hydrogel + mica as a material is a familiar combination in the cosmetic industry to promote youthful hydration and a healthy shimmer in beauty products. Naturally, it is both temporary and surface deep and designed to disintegrate or require ongoing maintenance. In Model Homes, the house has been replaced by body forms to emphasise fragility, a fragility associated with the temporality of beauty ideals and the effects of time on the body’s shell.
In Your Place
04:30 transferred super 8 and digital video.
Inspired by the recent referendum on Article 41.2 of the Constitution which proposed to replace specific references to women with gender neutral wording, ‘In Your Place’ highlights the ongoing reality of women’s position as the principal caregivers and unpaid workers in the home. The short film presents a claustrophobic situation and suffocating figure without a means to communicate.
