The Dark Self

Yesterday I went to see The Dark Self exhibition which included a collaborative display of embroidered pillowcases titled '1001 nights 'worked by volunteer embroiderers across the country -one of whom was me !
The exhibition by artist Susan Aldworth, Artist in Residence at the University of York, explored the experience of sleep and invited viewers to reflect on their own experience. Her work encompassed experimental print, sculpture and film with the collaborative work hanging centrally from the roof of the exhibition space, a former church in the centre of York. The link between all the elements was the pillowcase. I felt that my own piece was a little 'off kilter' - I hadn't really understood the brief - but was elated to feel part of the whole. I was hugely moved by some of the contributions and loved the porcelain pillows, part of the Artist's work which expressed sleep through the imprint of heads - the negative space evoking how sleep leaves its mark on space, as on the imprint of the antique pillowcases used as print blocks in her other work.
sadly, I neglected to take a pic of the porcelaine pillows - I will rectify that when I visit again, which I surely will.

A corner of one of the experimental prints.