Legend

This work was inspired by the idea of the shaman and was based on the shaman's stick used in ritual ceremonies. Several strands of ribbon-like tape were crudely tied to each stick and many of these were then place together within a circular formation. The ribbons are manufactured as barrier tape or flag tape, used by builders and workmen as a protection and a warning. Here the tapes are symbolic of the barrier between the earth and the spirit world, animated by the wind and sunlight they transform into an apparition of the ancients, sometimes dancing, sometimes marching, sometimes fighting, the strands becoming both the costume and the fire. From some views the work also reads a drawing or painting, each ribbon a mark, changing with the changing light and movement. This reference to art also reflects the draw of Cornwall to artists and galleries. The light weight tape responds to air currents with a particular delicacy whilst its shiny surface reflects flashes of sunlight, glowing with the light behind it, almost seared into the landscape, branding the land. The work was built on Woon Gumpus Common, a moorland where ancient standing stones and tumuli are found, contributing to the raw context and sense of history to the work. Cornwall is also associated with magic, both historically and more recently with a revival of interest in magic and ancient spiritual practices. The nomadic feel to the work was also echoed by the visitors as occasional walkers passed by, following the Ancient Monuments Trail through this lonely landscape.