Gathering Dust, Artist's Book
‘Gathering Dust’. 2019
Artist’s book
45 x 45 cms
Japanese paper, glassine envelope, cyanotype, screen & transfer prints.
Each book is unique. Limited edition of 10
Signed and dated.
‘Into the rose garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.
But to what purpose,
Disturbing the dust on a bowl of rose-leaves.
I do not know.
‘Burnt Norton’ 1935 T.S.Eliot
Eileen was artist in residence with the National Trust at Mottisfont from 2017 - 2018, where her objective was less about portraying a literal representation of a place but rather an attempt to convey feelings surrounding ephemerality and the role of the custodian, using the form of a book as a repository or container. By requiring both touch and time as a process and language, it enables new readings of a site.
The conservation practices of the National Trust, in this case the very specific housekeeping techniques employed for the folding of dusters inspired ‘Gathering Dust’. Shrub roses from the rose garden were used in the making of the cyanotype print. A serendipitous find in a charity shop of a handwritten housekeeping guide written by four nuns, provided the hand printed text.
The body of work produced as part of the residency is currently on show at Mottisfont, 'For the Time Being' Exhibition 03.05.19 - 07.07.19 daily.