About Possession

Informed by the Dutch ‘Pronkstilleven’ (17th century still life paintings extolling worldly affluence) and the ‘Vanitas’ tradition of conveying the tension between the temptation and emptiness of material possessions, the still life images in Possession act as a commentary on modern consumerism, its excesses and pitfalls. Iterations of wealth, value and exorbitance range from a chandelier made from imitation jewellery to more conceptual objects such as manipulated handmade paper porcelain envelopes that reference the conflict between the lure of perceived beauty and the unsettling and ugly effects on those vulnerable to coercion. Using multiple materials and forms, photographed in a state of momentary suspense in anticipation of change or collapse, the small-scale sculptures in (Dis)equilibrium allude to fragility, lack of balance and the inequality of forces.