I grew up in Yorkshire surrounded by the majestic trees of Sunnydale woods. Working in and among trees is something I have loved ever since but during the isolating lockdowns spending time with them felt essential. The sense of grounding and calm they provided impelled me to begin deepening that relationship. So, last Autumn, I returned to Sunnydale with photographer Laura Mate to immerse myself in that landscape once again.
Another focus for my exploration of movement in nature were the ancient beech trees of Epping forest. I experimented with embodiment through mask and costume, using bark, branches and other materials from the forest floor.
Much of my past work has been inspired by myths and folk-tales about the sea. Over the last year, the ocean has taken on even greater significance - as my escape from the stresses and strains of the pandemic.
As soon as it was possible, I began to visit my local stretch of the English coast, walking the shoreline and collecting shells. I was amazed by the diversity of these liminal spaces where the water meets the earth. Those tiny creatures in their extraordinary homes of calcium carbonate. Creating masks from these shells became a ritualistic way for me re-immerse myself in the experience of the seascape. I began to combine movement, which led to another collaboration with Andrew Davies. Together we created this short film set among the enigmatic chalk rocks of St Margaret’s Bay.
Out of Darkness was first created as part of my studies for The Thomas Pratkki Centre in Berlin. I wanted to write about my childhood growing up in rural Yorkshire, and to use my personal experiences to examine questions of identity. What do we give up in order to enter the world of adulthood, and at what cost to ourselves? As I delved deeper into my own past, I discovered a hidden animalistic side to myself – a primal new way of relating to the world.
Directed by Rosamond Martin, this project employs aerial silk and spoken word performance. It was supported by Jackson’s Lane Theatre and first performed at The Place, for Resolution Festival in 2020.
