Cabinets of Curiosities
The Greeks did it, and so did the Romans – the need to collect is almost as old as human culture itself. The reasons behind this urge can be attributed to many things, but what unites them is a desire to catalogue and examine, to collect and explain. It could be religious relics or magical fetishes, whatever the person behind the collection was interested in. Read the full article here
Specimen Case
Textile artist Ross Belton @spottedhyenas, has always worked with found objects. Drawing on an african heritage, filled with fetish figures, muti and talisman charms, he creates tiny contemporary pieces, full of mystery and ambiguity. When it came to displaying these jewel-like creations for exhibitions, it seems a natural fit to look for old cases and boxes, battered with use and the patina of age. In carefully pinning the objects to the felt, these works reference the victorian specimen cases – butterfly collections, frozen in their prime, and the cabinets of old.
Textile artist Ross Belton @spottedhyenas, has always worked with found objects. Drawing on an african heritage, filled with fetish figures, muti and talisman charms, he creates tiny contemporary pieces, full of mystery and ambiguity. When it came to displaying these jewel-like creations for exhibitions, it seems a natural fit to look for old cases and boxes, battered with use and the patina of age. In carefully pinning the objects to the felt, these works reference the victorian specimen cases – butterfly collections, frozen in their prime, and the cabinets of old.
Recycled Wooden box, various rusted objects, wrapped and bound, with silk, wire, machine knitted lambs wool and hand dyed and fringed cotton.
11x39X33cm
11x39X33cm
Threads – Salisbury Arts Centre Contemporary Textiles Open - October 2016
Imperfect Beauty - Morley Gallery June 2015
Imperfect Beauty - Morley Gallery June 2015
Cabinet of Curiosities | Table & Cube
This series pays homage to the specimen cases at the Pitt River Museum.
This series pays homage to the specimen cases at the Pitt River Museum.
Screws, rusting and evolving, wrapped in indigo frayed silks and fringes; gauze and nuno felted ‘sea urchins’ and coral formations created from salvaged creels and nylon fishing nets; marbles, champagne cages and bits of old lampshades – all of these items of wonder nestle in their display cases, demanding examination and provoking wonder, drawing the viewer in for a closer look.
Textile Alchemy - WAC Gallery June 2016
Imperfect Beauty - Morley Gallery June 2015
Imperfect Beauty - Morley Gallery June 2015
Sheep Skull
Sun bleached and naturally dyed. Eucalyptus, iron and summer berries
All photographs Jonathan Dredge