I graduated from Painting at Edinburgh College of Art and won the AGB Travel and Equipment Award. My practice draws from mythology, historical and contemporary influences. I collect stories and collage them together; resulting in ritualistic or theatrical performances as well as collections of fabricated artefacts.
This documented performance takes inspiration from the rich and savage history of hunting. I predominantly focused on the area in which I am living and working, ‘La Creuse’, a central department of France, in which the hunting of wild boar is a popular part of the culture. Being surrounded by this tradition led me to think about the motivations behind the practice and it’s connection to both history and contemporary society. Hunting is no longer a method of survival, rather a ritual, or sport, or display of masculinity.
I am interested in the connections and differences between the hunting traditions in the UK, with it’s connotations of large country estates and imperialism, and in France where hunting is seen less of as an elitist activity. Portrayals of the hunt in art go right back to ancient Greek times and throughout history it has been used, strangely, as an allegory for love. My portrayal of the hunt presents a performance between humans and animals that blurs the lines between sculpture, theatre and installation.
