Talisman

Talisman 2020 (stone on corten steel) — a series of stones carved and polished to a jewel-like finish engaging with notions of memory, ephemerality and rebirth. These 340 million-year-old nomadic stones, from bygone ice ages, are often found large distances from their place of geological origin, making them unique in their displaced landscape.

 

The ancients imbued stones and rings with magic powers to protect particularly in times of crisis These talismans were believed to offer defence from plague and pestilence. Carving out the majority of the interior of the stones LAB leaves behind a delicate structure which is then polished and stippled to the finest grade to highlight the fossils and veins within.

 

The artist juxtaposes highly worked interior with the raw, natural patina time and travel has given to the exterior of the stone. Each work has one or more apertures, typical of the talismans of old. The gleam that comes from the revealed heart of each stone allows the viewer to immerse in the altered structure deep within the work whilst the worn exterior anchors the natural world.

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