In the Easter of 2022 I held a residency at Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
I explored the similarities of climate anomalies in Shakespeare’s day and now. Thinking of mini ice ages on the Thames and the plague as opposed to heading towards +2ºC and a pandemic. This lead to me to thinking about the increased pace of life and ‘rest’. One of the other things i considered was the role of trees, woods and forests in the work of Shakespeare. They are transformative places, rich with metaphor.
Exploring the properties of the Trust I really liked the land around Anne Hathaway’s beautiful cottage; the trees and the orchards. I knew I wanted to make something for this location. It needed to work with the space.
Breathing Space (i) is a pair of brackets offering the invitation to rest within their arms, be ‘held’ and reflect. Breathing Space (ii) is a film of leafless trees sitting in the cottage itself.
During August 2022 I worked with Curator and Creative Producer Beth Hughes to fabricate and install the work
Both works offer a space to breathe, slow down, rest and reflect.