> Rebecca Jewell: Birds Becoming Artefacts: 23 November – 24 December 2011 AT Conway Street, London
Rebecca Jewell is currently Artist in Residence in the Oceania Department of the British Museum. Having worked for five years on the Melanesia Art Project (2005-2010) at the Museum. She is also Visiting Research Fellow in Print at London Metropolitan University. Jewell lived in Papua New Guinea for a year (1982) and studied anthropology at Cambridge University (1985). She gained a PhD in Natural History Illustration from the Royal College of Art (2004). Her work is held in the National Collections of the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the British
Library.
This exhibition, Birds Becoming Artefacts, explores how birds have been used by cultures from all over the world to enhance the beauty and wisdom of humans. For example, in Papua New Guinea, the Highlanders wear the bird of paradise feathers to attain the beautiful qualities of the bird. In Jewells artistic world, the wearer of Lear’s Headdress would acquire Edward Lear’s wit and artistic talent and the beauty and wisdom of the parrots he painted; and the wearer of Owl Cape would absorb the wisdom of the owl.
Snowy Owl, 2011, gilded label and feathers. Jewell has perfected a technique for printing images directly onto feathers, and she has made these into new artefacts inspired by the British Museum Pacific collections. She has also worked with wall paper designer Daniel Heath to create two beautiful wallpapers using her drawings.
Jewell is also collaborating with milliner Noel Stewart to design two feather hats. The show will display prints, wall-paper, artefacts and cabinets of gilded labels and feathers. Jewell’s artwork, Lear’s Headdress has been shortlisted for the 2011 Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize in Australia.
The title of the show reflects upon the dual meaning of the word ‘becoming’ – how birds are ‘turned into’ artefacts and how birds ‘make artefacts beautiful’.
For more information please contact:
Rebecca Hossack
T: 0207 436 4899 / E: rebecca@r-h-g.co.uk
www.r-h-g.co.uk
London W1T 6BA, UK
Tuesday 10-6pm
Wednesday 10-6pm
Thursday 10-6pm
Friday 10-6pm
Saturday 10-6pm
Sunday Closed.