I represented my ‘Prayer Flags’ that commemorated all the ‘lost souls’ of the Thames at a riverside gallery located right by the Thames Barrier as part of a group show: Ghost Tide. The work was again installed outside, but this time on a modern industrial unit, filling the shutter doorway space outside the gallery. The work is being left there for nearly 3 weeks, in which time I expect it to ‘weather’ considerably, this organic disintegration is process that traditional spiritual prayer flags are subjected to out in the open, particularly in mountain environments. Apparently, the more ‘worn’the flags, the more ‘powerful’ they become as it is said that the loose threads send out the prayers in all directions and in order to emanate their positive, healing vibrations…
The elemental forces whipped up by the riverside location are battering the flags, tangling them, bleaching and causing the natural dyes to run and stain – the movement really animates the piece. I’ve had to ‘let go’ of any preciousness I may have had over these pieces and allow whatever transformation that may take place…
The flags after dark, both back lit from gallery ‘porthole’ windows and from security light above.
