Natural History collection in Portsmouth

Photos from a selection of the collection held at Cumberland House Natural History Museum, Portsmouth, UK.

Crow's Fall

Some experimental animation work exploring the app Artivive with one of my animations inspired by the poem Crow's Fall by Ted Hughes. The app 'augments' imagery viewed through a screen superimposing it with whatever media you post to it, a really exciting way to combine static imagery and animation and to bring (as Artivive say) art to life.

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