SELKIE OBJECTS
Traditionally the selkie legend would have been handed down from generation to generation through spoken word. These objects are designed to create tangible artefacts that blur the boundaries between fact and fiction, re-establishing the potency of the mythology for a more secularised society.
The Burial Shroud explores the myth that selkies were thought to be the spirits of people who had drowned at sea. Taking the notion of reincarnation within a mythological context, I utilized the image of the seal as a sacred symbol. The shroud is in actuality made of calf-hide, with painted and embroidered embellishments. The embroiderer was Katie McInnes.
Looking again at the idea of the seal as a spiritual symbol, a series of talismanic dolls illustrate the notion of the selkie as protector. The dolls were made of fimo modelling clay and various fabrics.