Deities at the bottom of the garden is a series of twelve exquisitely and accurately rendered scale models of a typical garden shed, each containing the interior of adifferent temple or church. From Paganism to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Shinto the work spans the continents, focusing deeply upon the traditions, icons and signs of each faith.
The series is the culmination of three years research and development focused on the nature of obsession; the obsessions manifest in the activities of the hobbyist and those within faith, art practice and play.
By drawing parallels and highlighting differences between cultural expression and belief systems, the work seeks to encourage a shared understanding and evokes the universality of wonder and spiritual enquiry. Encountered in miniature, the spaces suggest to the viewer new perspectives on the worlds we create, like children on a carpet landscape confronted by a miniature world.
Created at 1:6 scale, Deities at the bottom of the garden explores the nature of making and skill in contemporary art and its necessity in understanding an object. Every element of the sheds interiors and exteriors are handmade from authentic materials. From the light fittings and brass work to the soft furnishings, rugs and embroideries, each object is reflective of the obsession and care embedded in its craft.
Bloc Studios
198 Arundel Street
s1 4re
Sheffield
United Kingdom
Europe
