I took my inspiration for the patterns from old folk toys and at the back is a very simple jumping jack mechanism.
The film deals with themes relating to death and resurrection – concepts with which the unicorn has long been symbolically associated. I have drawn upon a range of symbolism to reinforce these themes as has been seen in art throughout the ages to create an allegorical film. This includes swans who are often associated with the goddess of death and have been said to act as ‘psychopomps’ – accompanying the souls of the dead to the far northern otherworld. Likewise squirrels were once said to be the ferrymen of dead souls, packing the souls of the dead into the shells of nuts and ferrying them across the River Styx as can be seen in this illustration from a medieval manuscript.
The unicorn is a lunar creature and is represented by the moon whilst the rainbow represents the triple goddess in her death aspect. In Greek mythology Iris was not only a messenger of the gods but also the goddess of the rainbow – a bridge across which she would lead souls from the land of the living to the worlds of the dead.
- “On the island of immortality called “Calypso” the iris was found in the meadows… as a death flower“
The video is designed to be presented on a continuous loop reflecting the cyclical nature of the themes of rebirth and resurrection that it covers.
Runtime: 5 minutes 46 seconds
The hobby horse is inspired by the unicorn as was described by the Greek philosopher Ctesias; who told that ‘among the kingdoms of India there were very swift wild asses with white coats, purple heads, blue eyes, and in the middle of their foreheads a pointed horn whose base was white, whose tip was red, and whose middle was black’.
Hand embroidered on black linen mix fabric with cotton thread (split stitch).
In addition to my embroideries there was work that might more traditionally be considered as Drawing by Andre Stitt and Chris Glynn (bottom) along with ceramics such as those pictured below produced by Alex McErlain in collaboration with textile artist Alice Kettle (below).
Hand embroidered on linen with cotton threads using split stitch.
Stumpwork is the name given to a style of raised embroidery, originating in England in the second half of the seventeenth century. The threads are worked around wires allowing for three dimensional effects to be created. Traditionally this method has been used to create motifs such as flower petals and insect wings that protrude from the picture’s surface.
I’ve taken the idea further and used wire and threads to create an embroidery that is not constrained by the limits or a frame/canvas.
From a practical point of view the only major problem I’ve encountered is finding a way to ensure that the fabric remains taught once the images are cut out but this shouldn’t take too much to work out.
A new embroidery in my ongoing series: Synchronous Hermaphrodites.
hand embroiderd on linen with cotton threads.
