Materialising ritual : a visual investigation of the evocative power of ritual objects, through the medium of cloth and thread

This research project has investigated ways in which visual qualities enhance the evocative power of ritual objects. Through the medium of cloth and thread the project aimed to find ways in which to visually represent intangible aspects of ritual such as wonder and talismanic protection. A key element of this aim was to explore ways in which to represent ritual action in still objects. The impetus for this project came from my own experiences of Catholic ritual and its objects, however it also considered a wider range of traditions of ritual practice both religious and secular. The project was not concerned directly with the spiritual, but rather with the very human activity that surrounds it. I was interested to discover what it was about ritual objects that distinguished them from other more 'everyday' objects, that is, what made them special. In order to carry out this investigation I considered various functions of existing ritual objects. These included their ability to manifest in material form what is essentially immaterial (prayers, intentions, hopes, and sentiments); to condense symbols; to evoke a sense of wonder and awe; to separate what is considered to be sacred from the profane; to be symbolically rather than physically instrumental; and to provide manuals for ritual action. My work is located primarily with reference to the work of other textile artists such as Anne Brennan, Louiseann Zahra and Elsje King who employ cloth and thread to embody a sense of intangible presence. Reference is also made to some of the works of Annette Massager and Janine Antoni which deal directly with ritual-like practice. My contribution to this field lies in the creation of quasi ritual objects which borrow existing aspects of ritual to explore how form, colour, ornament, labour, and material can be used to enhance an objects perceived 'power'. Primary to the development of these objects was the consideration of ways in which to visually suggest ritual action. This was explored through the use of physical form; stitching as a metaphor for the intense focus and repetitive nature of ritual participation; as well as the connotations that thread has of connectedness and its suggestion of paths