28/12 (Halcyon Series)
Overview
2019
Pigment, sand and saltwater on paper
Unique Work
Dimensions: 40cm (H) x 40cm (W) / 15.7" (H) x 15.7" (W)
Note: Actual colours may vary due to photography & computer settings.
Artist Statement
Ovid's epic poem Metamorphoses tells us the story of Queen Alcyon, who threw herself into the waves in a state of grief over her husbands death. Instead of drowning, however, she was transformed into a bird and flew. Zeus, in pity for her, calmed the sea for a few days in winter so she could nest. This short period of mild weather observed in Europe every winter solstice is referred to as the 'Halcyon Days'.
‘…she flew, and, beating the soft air on new-found wings, a sorrowing bird, she skimmed the surface of the waves.’
Today the term 'Halcyon Days' refers to a period of respite amidst chaos, a moment in time when tranquility descends upon the afflicted and peace prevails.
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Artist Profile
Born: 1989
Hometown: Stockton on Tees
Based in: UK
Born in the North East of England, I gained a First Class BA (Hons) in Textiles & Surface Design at the Northern School of Art in 2017. I went on to study my MA in Print at the Royal College of Art in London.
I'm interested in the idea that material (i.e. non-human objects) has agency or can be a vibrant actant in the creative process. We are currently in the Anthropocene, in which human activity is the dominant influence on climate and the environment. I use the world’s waterways, particularly the sea, to question the notion of human dominance over all things natural and propose that it is not just humans who are capable of creating an artwork.
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