Stones that whisper, stones that dance, stones that march as an army
Beth Emily Richards
Hummadruz, 2018
Photo: Newlyn Art GalleryHummadruz was an international group exhibition at Newlyn Art Gallery exploring the overarching and infinite rhythms of nature, folklore and the occult and how they have become a lived system embodied by both artists and communities. The word hummadruz is representative of the unexplained buzzing noise sometimes heard in rural areas - a simile for society’s growing fascination with ritual and folklore. Artefacts loaned by private collections and The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle were displayed alongside key artworks from the 20th century and pieces by artists exploring these themes in a contemporary context. Hummadruz was curated by Field Notes, with thanks to Rupert White of Art Cornwall.
Stones that whisper, stones that dance, stones that march as an army
Beth Emily Richards, in collaboration with Champy Bennet, Kathryn Mackrory, Daniel Maxwell Pooley, Oddstep Deployment Unit, Neil Rose and Oliver Sutherland, 2017
Audio recordings, plywood megalith/plinth
Stones that whisper, stones that dance, stones that march as an army was exhibited at Hummadruz. Whilst researching some of the sacred sites in Devon and Cornwall where Ithell Colquhoun performed her rituals and/or made artwork, Beth created field recordings of her explorations. These recorded circumnavigations are reminiscent of the practice of treading the mill; walking clockwise around a circle created for magical purposes. The original site recordings were then distributed to collaborators (including folklorists, artists, writers and architects), who then each made an aural response to the sounds, histories and energies of these sites.
This collaborative work grew from the artist-led project Ancient Scent: a group of West Country artists, writers and magical practitioners, who regularly meet to take part in a series of process-based workshops, participate in residencies, and exhibit work which responds to Ithell Colquhoun’s practice and life.
Beth Emily Richards, in collaboration with Champy Bennet, Kathryn Mackrory, Daniel Maxwell Pooley, Oddstep Deployment Unit, Neil Rose and Oliver Sutherland, 2017
Audio recordings, plywood megalith/plinth
Stones that whisper, stones that dance, stones that march as an army was exhibited at Hummadruz. Whilst researching some of the sacred sites in Devon and Cornwall where Ithell Colquhoun performed her rituals and/or made artwork, Beth created field recordings of her explorations. These recorded circumnavigations are reminiscent of the practice of treading the mill; walking clockwise around a circle created for magical purposes. The original site recordings were then distributed to collaborators (including folklorists, artists, writers and architects), who then each made an aural response to the sounds, histories and energies of these sites.
This collaborative work grew from the artist-led project Ancient Scent: a group of West Country artists, writers and magical practitioners, who regularly meet to take part in a series of process-based workshops, participate in residencies, and exhibit work which responds to Ithell Colquhoun’s practice and life.
FUNDERS AND PARTNERS
Hummadruz was nearly two years in the development and was supported by a wide range of people, including; Simon Costin and Peter Hewitt of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic; artist Lucy Stein; Gemma Gary and Jane Cox of Troy Books; collector Marcus Williamson, Jeffrey Sherwin, Maggie Parks and Richard Shillitoe; Blair Todd at Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange; and Rupert White, writer and editor in chief of ArtCornwall.org, who provided a breadth of knowledge and depth of support throughout the process.
GET IN TOUCH:
info@fieldnotes.org.ukThe development of this website was supported by Cultivator Cornwall
