Very Superstitious

Charley Perrio

A collection of British superstitions, fuelled by my own superstitious rituals and beliefs, passed down through generations. Each aspect within the collection explores and celebrates the oddities and quirks within British culture. 

I began to gather old English Superstitions and anecdotes from my leading textual resource: Iona Opie and Moira Tatem’s A Dictionary of Superstitions (1989). Research into object and nostalgia alongside Jessica Roux’s Lucky You zine inspired the form of a collection, showcasing both Britain’s commonplace and lesser-known superstitions. Further exploration into Feng Shui, amulets and symbols led me to create a collection based on an individual’s superstitious possessions within the context of the home. The final outcomes within the collection combine my love for printmaking, textile design and embroidery, inspired by my leading influences: Alice Pattullo, Katie Scott and Ellie Mac Embroidery.

The collection celebrates both good and bad luck in equal measure through prints, textiles and objects associated with the home and personal belongings. I consciously chose to create a collection as I felt this was appropriate in documenting my leading subject matter - British superstitions - with themes of amulets, luck and fate leading back to the object, nostalgia and possessions. Within the final outcomes the combination of text and image is needed to illustrate more obscure superstitions, educating and informing the audience in a light-hearted, satirical manner. The personal aspect and narratives within this project have been significant with developing the final outcomes and has strengthened my viewpoint on the subject matter, making the collection organic and unique.

Superstitions about Animals

This is a fascinating book highlighting a depth and range of animal superstitions published over a century ago;

Superstitions about Animals, by Frank Gibson; 1904; W. Scott publishing co. ltd; London, Newcastle-on-Tyne, New York.

Housed at; Internet Archive;

https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/superstitions-about-animals-1904/

Author’s Note: My sole object in writing this little book has been to do something towards arousing a more general interest in a subject which has at no time obtained the attention it deserves. Yet there is no subject which so fully repays the thoughtful student as that of Natural History. In bringing together some of the most common superstitions about animals, and dealing with them in a light and popular way, I trust my object will in some measure be attained. If by the publication of this unpretentious work only a little of the prevalent superstition is swept away, and further interest is created in the wonders of the animal kingdom, I shall be more than amply rewarded. 
FRANK GIBSON. Bishop Auckland, July 1904

The Imaginarium

Roshahni Bowerman

Have you ever heard of an animal called the Homiariegris?
With antlers and tiger skin it stands on two feet!

Enter the world of the Imaginarium where the possibilities are endless and the creatures are brought to life.

The Imaginarium is a book filled with wonder and amazement. The book features six collaged creatures that you wouldn’t have seen anywhere else, placing them into the natural world and adding elements that are akin to animals in and around the world. Positioned sequentially in a 24 page ‘bestiary’, each fully illustrated page takes the reader on a journey through the six backstories, highlighting how they live, breathe and eat. Pointing out the differences and similarities of not only the animals which we already know about but also the ones that are hidden in plain sight.

(Click on images to view larger)

I became interested in beasts and animals when I read descriptions of H.P Lovecraft’s creations and began to explore how I would translate descriptions into fully fledged illustrations, enjoying drawing these beasts/animals and began to want to create my own. I was inspired by the work of Hannah Hoch and Lauren Child who use collage within their work to create narratives.

I began creating my own collage creatures by using imagery found within newspapers and magazines, then breathing them to life. I knew that collage was the perfect medium to represent the journey of the creation process because it was unexpected how the final piece would come out. I also wanted to exploit my own artistic ability and see where it would take me. By not only using collage, but also both traditional and digital mediums within my final book, I feel that it allowed me to fulfil the creation of the book with the sole purpose of entertaining the audience, and letting them imagine how the animals could live among them.

The Paradox of Animals

Louise Tagg

‘We visually experience and consume a dazzling panoply of animals that surrounds us in our world’ (Malamud 2012 - An Introduction to Animals and Visual Culture).

Many animals are hurt and even killed at the hands of humans. What if our fascination with looking and admiring animals is combined with this truth?

My self-directed project looks into the concept of using animal objects, as statues, pillows, or prints, to decorate our homes and admire them, combined with the truth that animals are suffering from human interaction.

Using the media of screen printing, I have incorporated illustrations of some of the most loved animals. Also, there are illustrations of objects, representing the contrast of animals and human interaction, that can threaten the lives of so many animals. I have focused on multiple areas where humans interact with animals, from trophy hunting, to threats to bees. With these, I have layered them up to demonstrate this concept, using colours that can be enhanced using coloured lenses. When you look at one layer, you admire the animals, using another lense, the visual ‘threats’ appear, and the third instructs: ‘Find the Truth’.

Using research throughout this year, I wanted to get across the idea of a culture that uses animals in its decor, to essentially look appealing, yet when you see it with a new lense (literally) the truth of the interaction humans have with these animals is unveiled - The Paradox of Animals.