Spolia

“Spolia” is a solo exhibition shown at The Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, 2nd April - 25th April 2015. Research Process: Historically, the practice of “spolia” refers to a process of acquiring and reusing architectural fragments from ancient civilisations. Scholars have approached the significance of these from the destructive standpoint of spoliation, especially in more obvious examples such as The Arch of Constantine. This exhibition explores less orthodox connections between the uprooted and re-sited constituents of these structures and the sculptural conditions of late Twentieth Century Modernism, including the reuse of material is as a signature of Postmodern appropriation practices. Research Insights: The ‘fragment’ is integrated with this research as an important methodological component. Structuring and reconfiguring these fragments is a means to revise and position the convergence of adversarial conditions and opposing constructs. This has previously functioned to investigate the ideas of historians and theorists such André Malraux or Jürgen Habermas. T.J. Clark’s book, “Farewell to an Idea” (1999) , helps to illustrate this process further. Spolia proposes forms of “image currency” as a means to systemise disparate or unlikely relationships. This stems from the belief that elements and ‘figures’ considered extraneous to artworks are actually inseparable and capable of generating new meanings. Dissemination: This body of work was shown at The Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast, 2nd April - 25th April 2015. Exhibition talk and tour: 22 April 2015