For part of my phd proposal, I want to look at rural locations and explore what this means in terms of fine art and domestic settings, particularly ones with an abuse of the power relationships, this is partly due to my own geographical location but also my psychological approach to where I chose to live.
I’ve been pondering over how to approach this area of research, until I took a step back, this is supposed to be practice led, not research led. So looking at what I had been doing, I realised it was mainly growing flowers. Obsessively. To the point of having to dig half my garden up so that I can grow more, I can safely say, they have been my saviour and distraction through lockdown.
They also hold their own meanings, the Victorians would regularly send secret messages through flowers, and these would often get misunderstood if the recipient had a different book of definitions than the sender. Lots of miscommunications would happen, different languages would be spoken and hidden meanings could make or break a courtship. Botanicals are used for perfumes, healing, teas, beauty products. My main line of enquiry is now following a route of which flowers have sinister and darker meanings? And can I grow them in my garden to create a living piece of artwork?
Cosmos – No One Could Love you More – Romantic or Sinister?
Sweet Pea – Protection, Responsibility along with You are Beautiful.
