travel – DRAFT EXCLUDER

This post got a little delayed due to me being absolutely floored by a cold. I actually had to take some time off, which is unusual for me. I haven’t been that unwell in years. Basically my brain was like an over-baked potato, so all things creative, and all things blog just had to take a back seat until I resurfaced. I’m functioning on about 60% now, so that’s something. Hah. The joys of winter.

Anyway- back to my original post.

A couple of weeks ago a collective I am part of (Cannibal Cubs) had a piece of work included in a group exhibition of women artists in at the Yard Life Gallery, SWG3 in Glasgow, Scotland. I was really stoked for our work to be included alongside this group of talented artists working across the country and beyond. I was also excited to be included in a show in Glasgow, having only shown in the city a couple of times. There’s a thriving art scene there, and it always feels like events are well supported and attended. I’d love to be part of more shows and projects happening across the country- I suppose it’s just me standing in my own way for this to happen a lot of the time.

The show opening night was also a rare chance to meet some of the other faces behind the works and the atmosphere was really positive, warm and welcoming. I haven’t been to many openings if I’m honest since Covid. So it was nice to do something like this and have it feel so rewarding. I sometimes find openings a bit overwhelming, and my social skills are probably a bit rusty for larger events. I need to be reintroduced to society like the beaver. Anyway.

Be sure to check out the show in Glasgow if you’re around there- it runs until January and features works across a variety of mediums- sculpture, needlework, pyrography, painting, printmaking, tufting and more. The organisers worked really hard to pull together something special- including a hand assembled catalogue- and the space is jam packed with a diverse range of works. Well worth a visit- I came away feeling energised (I need more of this) and looking forward to opportunities to connect again with such a dynamic and inspiring group.

You can watch a wee video about the show here. Or read about it here. You can find more info about the show and the Yard Life Gallery here.

A sneak peek at our piece:

Titled ‘REVOLTING’ we created a mixed media artwork with a range of elements, including hand tufted parts. The piece was intended to depict a mouse revolt against cat tyranny. Solidarity!

Making

I made a large scale piece the other week after discovering a huge roll of paper in the studio with a textural background all over it. It is mostly a mixed media collage of my drawings of mice (surprise!). It sort of developed from the process of making the piece for the Creative Resilience show. I feel like this large works might become a series. Having the new studio space has been really instrumental in encouraging me to shake off a lot of limitations. Making large, dynamic works feels quite natural now, whereas before I was quite timid about adventuring much beyond A3 sort of size.

It was made pretty quickly while listening to a combination of the Polyester Zine Podcast and The Great Women Artists Podcast. I neglect to listen to things for months and then binge ten episodes in a sitting! Standard. Easily my two favourite listens while working.

I made the piece on the floor, it was quite physical doing that and was what I needed to break myself out of a bit of a creative funk (albeit briefly). I find this time of year a bit tough for motivation and starting new projects. Or finishing them. I am still toiling with the commission I have been working on sporadically for months- although I did push myself to make some decisions about the final presentation of the work. It’s essentially an assembly job now, and I just need to motivate myself to pick up my tools and complete it. Next week…

I’ll be back with a post about a workshop I ran yesterday 🙂

Thanks for reading

J 🙂

I took a trip to Edinburgh a couple of weekends ago, had an interesting time catching some cultural and culinary highlights. Here is a quick round-up of some of my favourites.

One of my first stops was the Royal Scottish Academy to catch Ade Adesina’s show ‘Parallel’.

I love Ade’s work- I could spend forever looking at all the details. I find insects endlessly appealing, and there are so many in these pieces. Check out more of his work here. His process videos always astound me.

I also visited ‘Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life‘ at the National Museum of Scotland. No pictures of this as no photography was permitted- which makes sense when the exhibition contains human remains and some pretty graphic anatomical models. Collections of bone saws don’t appeal to everyone either (although every time I am in London I visit the Wellcome Collection which has a lot of medical instruments, and one of my favourite museum objects- Napoleon’s toothbrush! I love a random domestic object that has significance, not that I have a particular love of Napoleon or anything).

A few years ago I was studying for a PhD focusing on the curation of ‘difficult’ museum specimens (abandoned due to personal reasons), so I always have a special interest in exhibits which handle sensitive items. Naturally there are a lot of ethical considerations to such an undertaking, which museums have a duty to engage with more than ever (not to mention the provenance of their vast collections). This exhibit contained some items with ‘sensitive content’ warnings, and I found myself deeply moved, and at times disturbed, by what I saw.

The ‘exhibit’ (it feels strange calling it that) which will stay with me the most, was probably the skeleton of William Burke, of the infamous Burke & Hare murders in 1820’s Edinburgh. As part of the punishment for his crimes it was the judge’s wish that, after public hanging and dissection, his skeleton should be put on public display. Despite this being part of official judicial decree, I still find it hard to look at a human skeleton, particularly one imbued with this particular backstory. It’s a gruesome kind of fascination that draws you to a cabinet with such content.

I have previously visited the Surgeon’s Hall museum several times which also contains a lot of Burke and Hare artefacts- this museum is also well worth a visit (avoid the dentistry museum if you have the fear, it gives me the heebies). One of the items in this collection which stayed with me LONG after seeing it, and not included in the National Museum show, was a book supposedly bound in Burke’s skin. As far as contentious objects go, books bound in human skin are pretty high up the list (or at least my list). Ghoulish. I am unsure if this object is still on display today, or is just part of the larger collection.

The exhibition at NMS made me reflect on the public fascination with crimes like the Burke and Hare murders, in fact there was a good quote as part of the exhibit that commented on this public obsession at the time of the murders, and I wish I could have taken a note of it. It was very apt in encapsulating the alarming way gory details can be hungrily raked over by the media and lapped up by readers with equal fervour. The current popularity of true crime documentaries and dramas reflects a very old fascination indeed. I sometimes wonder if we disconnect from the ‘human’ side of these crimes- the impact on victim’s families, ignoring the risks of broader cultural ramifications of a fascination with violence and murder. This is pertinent given the controversy around the recent Dahmer series. Is this just a cultural handwringing reminiscent of the panic of the 90’s around the effect of violence in video games and Tarantino films?

I’m not sure how eloquently I can form the dark swirl of my thoughts around this, but standing in front of Burke’s skeleton I was brought very much into the moment, the experience of existing in a body, with a keen awareness of the very real harms that can be inflicted on the bodies of others. Looking at his hands, I felt a deep chill.

Being able to abstract the impact of crimes through a screen, or behind glass- does this diminish our ability to empathise with the bodies of others? At what point does it become acceptable for trauma to become entertainment, or vice versa? I feel like there’s probably a wealth of good writing on this- suggestions welcome.

Incidentals

To lighten the mood- here’s a few incidental shots of Edinburgh that caught my eye as I wandered around. I used to live in the city and always find new views, new places, and fresh perspectives on each visit. It’s a very international and culturally rich place, I always come away feeling like I’ve taken in some visual sustenance.

PS I said to lighten the mood- perhaps these seem like gloomy images, but it was late October in Edinburgh so you work with what ya got!