- HIDDEN NATURAL HISTORIES -
A project which explored the hidden or harder to see histories of the objects
and their collectors in the Tullie House Nature Collection.
Could digital interventions create a space to ask new
questions and tell more stories?
Every Object Has A Story
Every Object Has A Collector
Every Object Has A Value
Inspired by the stories of the female naturalists who contributed to the Tullie House collection, using paper sculpture, animation and film making to explore their work, and to discuss the social barriers faced at the time.
For this work I created paper sculptures inspired by specimens in the collection, which will contain QR codes linking to short films exploring the stories of these objects and their collectors, our changing attitudes to the natural world through the 20th century and the ethical questions that arise when we look at these stories. My hope is that through experiencing the work, visitors will look at the objects displayed with new questions about the individuals who created them, and the society in which these people lived. The work and exhibition in July will also develop to allow people to experience it in a completely digital form.
Bush Vetch - Vicia sepium
Green Hellebore - Helleborus viridis
Meadow Buttercup - Ranunculus acris
Find the text version here.
READ MY ESSAY ON THE PROJECT USING THE LINK BELOW:
RELATED BLOG POSTS:
‘The complex cognitive dissonance of working with natural history collections’ - A post exploring my interest in museums and natural history exhibitions, but also looking into the more difficult ethical and environmental factors around this work.
‘S O U R C E - Cumbria Artists Digital Development Lab’ - An introduction to the project and an exploration into the word ‘Collection’.
MORE ABOUT SOURCE:
Source is a development lab for emerging Cumbrian Artists working alongside Cumbrian Cultural Organisations, artists and curators. Led by Signal Film and Media in partnership with Cumbria Museum Consortium.
It connected, supported & developed 8 artists to explore, research and create digital artwork in response to the host organisations.
2 artists were paired per venue with Tullie House, Signal Film and Media, Windermere Jetty & Wordsworth Trust, with mentoring from artists Hwa Yung Young and Robert Parkinson. Despite the pandemic, online sessions & mentoring continued, and each artist is exhibiting work in their host venue and online this summer from May until July 2021.