RiTUAL. A ceremonial act ~ Rites used in the course of worship ~ The performance of ceremonial acts ~ The prescribed form of conducting the ceremony ~ A method of procedure that is followed without variation ~ performance with gestures, words, and objects, often in a sequestered place.
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Clare Smith's work is concerned with failed attempts to structure or make perfect. Through a playful and sensitive exploration of materials, she enables strucutres and forms to develop. Recent work comprises contemplative pieces involving repeated marks and makes use of ready-made grids or constructed quasi-grids. Her work embodies process and emphasises the importance of making. Her choice of materials is informed by her mixed Chinese/English cultural heritage.
Splendid Cargo refers to the cargo of Chinese export wares known as the Diana cargo. The DIANA sank in 1817 in the Straits of Malacca. The books reference my Chinese heritage and the fact that I was born in then Malaya (now Malaysia).
Ritual and repetition are closely related: both open the mind to the present. Where repetition may be associated with trauma, ritual can be associated with healing.
(Chinese Character practice paper, ink, collage)
