Lindsay Macgregor – United Kingdom

X+Y= The First Spark of Conciousness and the Awakening of the Soul.

Category: Traditional

Description

X+Y= The first spark of consciousness and the awakening of the soul.

My piece ‘ X+Y’ interprets the theme Fusion as it is inspired by creation and fertilisation – the action or process of combining things to bring something into existence.

In this particular piece – The miracle of conception.

From infinitesimal beginnings a new life is conceived.

I was directly inspired by actual images of fertilisation, when the sperm fuses with the ovum. I was surprised by the beautiful iridescent colours, textures and jewellery like structures observed in the images and they informed my choice of materials, colours and techniques.

‘X+Y’ is composed of a hand blocked red felt pill box base, covered with a red membrane like red lace. I recreated the blood rich capillaries of the womb lining by hand tufting red ostrich feather fronds, tassels and beads to create a highly decorative and textural surface.

Two red curled, feather quills have been attached, which are symbolic of the sacred feminine – the womb and curled Fallopian tubes. Finally, a bejewelled, broach like ova has implanted itself to the blood engorged womb lining replete with tiny pearlescent spermatozoa, one of which has fused with the ovum at the exact moment of conception.

Materials

• Red felt hood
• Red lace/Tulle
• Red Ostrich Feather fronds
• Red tassel
• Red velvet ribbon
• Red embroidery thread
• Red bugle beads
• Red pearls
• Red ostrich quills
• White pearls and crystals
• White mother of pearl disc
• White stamen
• Felt stiffener
• Fabric stiffener
• Glue

Techniques

• Hand blocking- Blocking pins; wooden block; cling film; steamer, felt and fabric stiffener, scissors.
• Hand tufting- Red embroidery thread, needle, scissors, ostrich feather fronds and tassel.
• Hand Beading- Beading needles, thread, bugle beads and pearls.
• Curling quills- Hot water & curling tongs.