Caravan of Dreams
My MA work
by Barry
Posted 03-Aug-2015
My MA changed my work extensively and I started to be far more of a glass maker rather than just a screen printer who printed onto glass.
For my MA degree show piece I produced a model of a glass labyrinth. The work consists of glass panels with screen printed waterslide decals which have been fired, fused and slumped as well as some digitally produced.
As with my degree work it is based on how we view the world. I am interested in the liminal, and for years have been interested in ancient symbols such as labyrinths and ancient symbolic systems, such as astrology.
What fascinates me is what we see and what we do not see. Often I include text as part of the work which makes the pattern in the glass.
In the work I used hidden text in the form of a magical alphabet - symbols which represent letters but are not a normal script. One of the original scripts was Ogham used by the Celts. Even up to the Reformation the notion that the populous could read was an anathema to the Church. The alphabet used for this work was developed by Madam Blatvatsky of the Theosophical Society. The notion of magical use of words or texts or casting spells - namely spelling. By having the text in a Magical alphabet it is hidden to those that do not know the alphabet or language and as such a symbolic way of showing that much is hidden and not easily understood
The text I have used in the panels are various justifications that have been used as a basis to persecute or discriminate a minority or group.
See more