THE FISHER KING
(A series of twelve consecutive prints on paper which in sequence form a visual narrative, an artist's book. May, 2009)
The work explores the interface between historic and contemporary material culture.
It loosely follows the theme of the mystical search for the mythical and elusive Holy Grail and the connection of the legendary Fisher King to the figure of Christ as well as the Holy Communion chalice. The working process is intuitive. A host of other images and characters emerge and interact with the central theme to create a multi-layered and suggestive narrative.
Reworking pages taken from an old German art history book in conjunction with images and icons of contemporary culture, the artist has created a palimpsest of images and texts. The artist is concerned with a continuing cultural and spiritual need in our current world to re-investigate, re-create and re-invigorate the old myths. She believes that the old gods still linger but are frequently mute and mutilated. Through her work she asks how they can again speak to us in a contemporary tongue. What do we take from the vast lineage of the past and what do we choose to discard? How do we find a living and contemporary relationship to our cultural and our spiritual ancestors?