i2 Art - Exhibitions

Cat James

In the male and female Torsos the figures are covered with imagery from children’s annuals from the 70’s and 80’s, a lot being from 1978, the year Cat James was born. The other singular female torso is covered with dress pattern cutting, from memories of her mother using these to make her own clothes as a child.

Cat James’ latest work comes from watching her mother sew as a child and from memories of visits to her grandparent’s house and their old fashioned living room and wallpaper. Sewing directly onto wallpaper and canvas, they are redolent of a childish sense of wonder, creating a fairytale atmosphere out of the simplest of means.

Cat James’ work is inspired by different aspects of mixed up memories of her childhood.

An edible theme runs through some of her work, including icing sugar canvasses, disembodied legs full of sweets and brightly coloured biscuits – a child’s delight, a treat.

Trying to hold a moment in time, a flashback to the past, nursery rhymes and tales spelt out in sweets.

“I remember as a child being read stories such as ‘The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and wishing I could have the same fantastic adventures as Alice and Dorothy.”

The silk-screens create a fantasy sequence of a little boy and girl, they are the embodiment of her love of the classic Fairytale character, and their bodies disappear and reappear.

26 - 28 Church St, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1JQ

Tel: 0044 (0) 1799 668211
Email: info@i2artgallery.com

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