‘A Cold Stone’ explores sculptural histories of representing suffering and wounds starting with the sculpture ‘Jesus on a Cold Stone’ and ‘Jesus on a Cross’ that are part of the collection of Museum M. This project is connected to my on-going interest in exploring and highlighting the fragility and the vulnerability of the body within Western society. One focus of the project will be a study of sculptural materials itself, starting with ‘Jesus on a Cold Stone’ and ‘Jesus on a Cross’, and the care that is dedicated to them through preservation- and conservation processes and -methodologies. I am interested in the fragility of materials and how breakages and our care to prevent and repair them affects our relationship to the sculptures. A research period would include interviews with historians, interviews with members of the Collection- and the Conservation Team at Museum M as well as studies of sculptures and materials.

I will develop a body of work for an exhibition from this research consisting of sculptures and drawings. The sculptures will be made out of stone, wood and ceramic (using metallic oxides for glazing processes). I would like to use a local granite stone called Belgium Blue Limestone (black when polished) and Calcite- and Gypsum Alabaster stone (using different dying techniques).

This project explores sculptural histories of representing suffering and wounds starting with the sculpture ‘Jesus on a Cold Stone’ and ‘Jesus on a Cross’ that are part of the collection of Museum M. This project is connected to my on-going interest in exploring and highlighting the fragility and the vulnerability of the body within Western society and raise questions about how the individual is supposed to function in order to produce capital. I aim to explore alternative possibilities to hierarchical structures within Western society by exposing and sharing pain and exploring wider historical trauma through the experience of the individual and their wounds. With this project I would like to focus on sculptural representations of Jesus and how they have impacted our understanding of suffering and redemption and explore possibilities of using this sculptural history within a contemporary discourse where I attempt to raise awareness of the importance to listen to individual experience and trauma within the contexts of wars and persecutions. Part of my research would also include a continuation of conversations with individuals whose life has changed through historical trauma.

One focus of the project will be a study of sculptural materials itself, starting with ‘Jesus on a Cold Stone’ and ‘Jesus on a Cross’, and the care that is dedicated to them through preservation- and conservation processes and -methodologies. I am interested in the fragility of materials and how breakages and our care to prevent and repair them affects our relationship to the sculptures. A research period would include interviews with historians, interviews with members of the Collection- and the Conservation Team at Museum M as well as studies of sculptures and materials. I am fascinated by the title ‘Jesus on a Cold Stone’ for a sculpture which uses wood to represent a stone that is described as ‘cold’, possibly indicating the experience of the body of Jesus touching the stone.

A research period would lead to the production of a series of works including sculptures, performances, drawings and a film. I am planning to use different materials including stone, wood and ceramics using different dying and painting techniques to emphasise the touch between the different materials.

This project also marks an important development in my practice through my returning to stone, a material which marked my starting point making sculptures. I plan to dedicate time during the development period to learn techniques that are specific to working with granite and alabaster. I would like to invite the Syrian artist Awos Ward, who has specifically worked with these stones, to learn from his experience. I would also like to interview him as part of my research as an artist who is attempting to remake stone sculptures that were destroyed in Syria during the war. This will bring together different histories, especially through the Alabaster stone focusing on the two different types: Calcite Alabaster that appeared in ancient Egypt and the wider Middle East and Gypsum Alabaster that appearing in Europe since Medieval times.

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/32326