Skins of Britain

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CAST, Helston, Cornwall

Aug 2018

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'Skins of Britain' was conceived during a month residency at CAST, Helston, Cornwall.

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What emerged from repurposed ship sail off cuts from a local sail maker, 10 bails of hay from a local farm, old wood from the CAST building, the local surroundings and many kilograms of local apples, was a creature. 

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I explored the use of ship sails and their relation to colonial persuits accross the world in such a way that one might stretch or display animal hide. The pieces that emerged also appear like maps; another link to concepts of land ownership. I uncovered a tension/ grey area that interwove folk art traditions and the aesthetics of a British summer fair with questions concerning colonialism, culture and the power of material choice, scale and political layering through visual language.  

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Carved into each apple is the shape of every country in the 'Commonwealth'.