Mia Maccormick
Reddam House
IGNOTA VIVERE
Documented Forms
Crocheted yarn attached to metal bike parts, washers, nuts, wire, photography and ink drawings photocopied and reprinted
Ignota Vivere (Unknown life) is a series of crocheted sculptures representing imagined marine organisms. It examines the potential for discovery in our oceans. Currently, scientists know of around 226 000 marine species. However, there are anywhere between a few hundred thousand to a few million more to be discovered. In amalgamating the manufactured with the organic I express the power organisms have to adapt to changes in their environment and even thrive under new conditions. In using the form of a museum exhibit my intent is to display the creatures as rare scientific specimens.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Vanessa Barragão, Ana Teresa Barboza, Kirsty Whitlock, El Anatsui, Amy Jones, Lilian Boloney, Jenny Kee, Linda Jackson.
Marker's Commentary
Ignota Vivere sensitively investigates strange and imaginative marine organisms. Intricate crochet work is cleverly transformed to create fine lace work resembling seaweed, polyps, coral and jelly fish like formations. The subtle inclusion of found metal objects bound into the yarn allude to the transformative and adaptive nature of the creatures, as they adapt to the man-made pieces. The essence of exploration and observing the unknown is captured through the presentation of the organisms, as scientific objects in vitrines, further echoed by the delicate pen drawings recording these strange species. The photographic documentation enriches concepts within the work, not only demonstrating the discovery of these organisms in our oceans but also their ability to adapt to the concerning effects of rising sea temperatures and pollution.