The Watershed Project

I have just finished my commission as the artist on year 1 of The Watershed Landscape Project, making a body of work inspired by the upper landscape of the South Pennines. The work I have made for this commission, together with that of The Watershed poet Andrew McMillan, is currently showing at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Lister Park, Bradford, until September 11th 2011.

To follow the development of the work for The Watershed Project, please visit my blog: blogs.sallybarker.org/watershed

Before entering the gallery , I have made a piece of work which is an interpretation on a sculpture standing next to it, by Lombardi, called Susanna. The original Susanna (from The Book of Daniel, The Bible) has a hard time, She was spied on by some men whilst out bathing. Having refused their "advances", these spurned men accused her soliciting, had her tried and sentenced to death - something which disturbingly still happens today. She was saved by Daniel , who spoke up in her defense, exposing the mens conflicting evidence. My sculpture simply re-adjusts this narrative to give Susanna a more optimistic scenario handing the power back to her. It still looks at the issues inherent in the original- voyeurism, control, independance but my Susanna has built her own place where she can be defiantly naked and safe in comfort and without risk. However, we still gaze at her through the trees.