A week-long international residency organised by Leeds Arts University in collaboration Dolomit [an organisation which provides active learning experiences in the Italian Alps] and which culminated in a group exhibition with fellow MA Creative Practice students.
Trentino, the butterfly-shaped province of Northeast Italy, is unique: it is located midway between an alpine environment and the Mediterranean-like climate surrounding Lake Garda- in just a few kilometres, you go from high mountains to a sea-level altitude.
For inspiration I looked to characteristic alpine basketry – one type of basket structure typical found in rural regions is the very crude forage carrier, the same type of construction also found in the chicken/hen cages. During the residency I experimented with local foraged material – the final pieces comprised several coiled pine needle pieces, each rendered unique through the incorporation of grass and sedge foraged from around the lake Lago di Tenno; roots; ivy and creeping creeping wildflower.
