Hidden in the middle one were mirrors, partially concealed by voile, which is very sheer, almost like bridal veils. The idea was that people would eventually come back to where they started and have to confront their own reflections. The work was structured like a journey and evoked the inner journeys we must all take from time to time. Wooden bannister, fabric, and ashes, dimensions variable. The motif of the journey, an interest in landscape, and an attraction to certain materials, like fabric these seem to be some of the key features of your work.
Materials speak and have their own language, they seem to contain memories.
I m very drawn to fabric, it s true. In the Drumbar piece, people could project their own meanings or associations onto the fabric, which is tactile and also has an abstract emotional quality that lends itself to personal experience. It doesn t feel quite comfortable, placing those materials together, and that s an important part of the work. It s a technique I use a lot, bringing together contradictory materials, the use of wood against fabric, soft against hard. In my recent show in Kilkenny, Encounters , I tried to combine some things, like earthenware, which is hard, with sisal, which is all teased out and fluffy.