Starting Points exhibition

The starting point for this piece of work was research into body protection.

Materials used for this purpose require to be very strong yet flexible. Investigation was undertaken to try to replicate these qualities. An early piece of body armour from the Phillipines was made of wood and fibres twisted into cord and led to further experimentation using linen and bamboo. It soon became apparent that while early armour was purely utilitarian, it quickly became highly decorated often indicating the rank or status of the wearer.

Further research involved looking at how the body protects itself. This in turn led to consideration of how slight changes in the pattern of a person's genetic pattern can cause variations in hereditary traits and resistance/susceptibility to disease. This research has informed a body of work of which "Interwoven" is part.