Eye Training in Lewes exhibition

Claire’s work is inspired by objects from the Pitt Rivers Museum which houses the University of Oxford’s anthropological collection.

The collection is chiefly formed of what the founder, Augustus Pitt Rivers, called “common objects” and is mainly concerned with objects of function and utility. Using his theory of the evolution of design, the process of development and improvement in design and making over time, the museum illustrates humanity’s inventiveness and skill in continuing to deal with life’s challenges.

“This is my first one-woman exhibition and is the culmination of a project I have been working on for several years. The exhibition consists of small-scale multi-media sculptures which are inspired by anthropological artefacts in Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum. Reflecting my craft backgound, the work is made to a high quality but is friendly and often playful. Visitors to the gallery will be able to use a QR code to search the Pitt Rivers Museum’s online object database to learn more about the objects that inspired each sculpture.

“I studied on the University of Brighton’s BA (Hons) wood, metal, ceramics, plastics which focused on 3D design and craft. I have been a keen maker since I was allowed to use scissors as a child and now work in photography, sculpture, textiles and collage. Despite the practical nature of the artefacts, they range from the crude and rudimentary to the intricate, beautiful and exquisite, taking in the downright bonkers on the way.”

Pitt Rivers wrote that “No one can take in an accurate impression of the things he sees in the world until he has acquired the power of drawing them correctly.” He called this theory eye training. Using drawing and collage as a process of abstraction the original artefacts are evolved into small scale mixed media sculptural pieces. The sculptures are made using predominantly natural and repurposed materials to reflect the nature of the objects that inspired them and the resourcefulness of their creators.