ABOUT

My work explores an autobiographical approach to art making, where I have used visual inspiration from my experience of growing up in Hastings, East Sussex. I am largely influenced by traditional pagan folk music, dance and ritual. Much of my work involves direct reference to Hastings’ annual traditions, like Jack in the Green, and attempts to reflect the same feeling of absurdity and authenticity that these festivals bring to the town, as well as referencing traditional forms of costume like a Hobby Horse or Morris dancers. I aim to articulate how areas of folk culture have had to adapt and change over time to remain pertinent with the changing society and look at comparisons with movements such as kitsch design aesthetic. My use of found objects and low-cost materials reflect a ‘something out of nothing’ aspect found in folk culture that reflects a spontaneity and authenticity I admire. I’m interested in an expanded, flexible idea of sculpture that can take any form. In my film work I try to replicate mood and energy of how i see folk culture, through raw editing style. By creating multimedia instillations, I am able to explore different sculptural mediums and processes and essentially build my own archive of folk objects. I predominantly work with film and costume but have used sculpture and wallpaper to create spaces and discourse between each component. Much like artist Jeremy Deller, who also makes work exploring contemporary British culture, I am constantly responding to the questions, ‘what is British folk culture?’ and, ‘what is the role of British folk culture in contemporary society?’. During this time of Brexit and COVID 19 I think it is interesting to consider the role of new traditions that are being formed by these events (like clapping for the NHS every Thursday) and considering which aspects of tradition will we try to hold on to within a more alienated, technologically dependent society?