If you start off with the found object, that object already has a history draw on.
Cornelia Parker
As I grow older, I find that our thoughts and inspiration are very much influenced by childhood memories, families and surroundings. This is also seen in Cornelia Parker’s exhibition where many of the pieces are influenced by people and the surroundings.
Out of all Parker’s work, I am particularly interested in room 2’s ‘Inhaled Cliffs’ work. Parker got her inspiration from the Customs and Excise officials’ depiction of ways of smuggling drugs. One of the ways is through garments, as seen in the image above on the right, there is a bedsheet folded multiple times. Parker reassembled the idea of replacing drugs with chalk from the White Cliffs of Dover. The outcome is not to show the audience the history but to provide an idea of sleeping between two cliffs. I was amazed by this piece where there is a contradiction between the context of the piece and its outcome. The content is violent whereas Parker turned the story into a beautiful story. Not only the audience can understand the historical background, but also immerse themselves in Parker’s imagination of this work.
The work next to this bedsheet is also an inspiration taken from the Customs. Just like the work above, I am driven by Parker’s description of her work. The introduction of exhibition room 2 suggested the works are related to violence including Parker’s making process. In this piece, she stated that the way authorities destroy illegal contraband is also symbolically like her.
What makes this exhibition different to those I have been to is the text description of Parker’s work. After reading each text, they either reinforce my perspective on the work or completely changed my view. Although most of the work is still, with the description they are as powerful as those moving installations. While they are gentle in a way that tells a historical incident.