Fragments and Echoes

(Pop-up exhibition, MFA year 1)

Clucas is often drawn to narratives, and the inspiration for this body of work is threefold. Initially it began with a small cloud painting, La Malédiction by Magritte, and its accompanying narrative/myth of Edward James (a writer and patron of the surrealists) carrying the painting around with him wherever he went. Secondly, the idea of personal icons, after seeing an exhibition at the National Gallery, which began a series of work about modern day icons which could be carried around for personal devotion. Lastly, on seeing This is the Story of Migration by Shamsia Hassani, at Straat in Amsterdam, about the things refugees take with them when leaving in a hurry. Hassani said of her painting:

“We just packed everything that came with a memory. How can you fit your entire life into one bag? This suitcase is what we took to exile and what we will carry around for the rest of our lives.” — Shamsia Hassani

Which led to the following questions: What is important to us? What do we cherish? What do we take with us if we have to leave our homes abruptly?

The resulting work focused on the things Clucas holds dear, in a format which is portable — whether as a small zigzag book held within a Chinese thread book, or a lightweight foldable meditative hanging. Some of her images in the faith book were photographs from her collection, including feathers, shells and seeds.

Above: In you … — silk fabric, thread and photo transfer.