First Light Byzantium (2024). Gold leaf. Time specific installation at Gate 27, Istanbul.
Gregorian (2024). Gold leaf. Permanent commission by Hopstial Rooms. Installed at Longreach House, Redruth. Photo by Oliver Udy, courtesy of Hospital Rooms.
Calendars are a series of time-specific works that reference systems used to record the passing of time.
First Light Byzantium: Created for Istanbul; once the centre of the Byzantine Empire with a calendar beginning on September 1st which was believed to be the day of the creation of the world. First Light Byzantium is a record in gold leaf of the first ray of light to enter the house on day three of creation. In the book of Genesis this is when God created the dry land.
Gregorian: On 14th September 1752 England moved from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. To do so eleven days had to be deleted, meaning everybody went to sleep on September 2nd and woke on September 14th. Gregorian records the pattern of light across walls at each end of a psychiatric ward at dawn and dusk. Two semi circles have been gilded onto the window glass to meet when the window slides open.
Gold is an opulent material, associated with the sun, transcendence and permanence; used for the halos of religious icons, wedding bands. It will not tarnish or decay.