SURPRISE SURPRISE

JEAN DAVEY-WINTER

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I usually describe my work as 'mixed media', which means that I use a mixture of different materials and different ways of working. My pieces in this exhibition combine photography with textile materials. When you first look at these pieces, you will probably see them as cushions and a quilt. And you might think that they are therefore 'craft objects'. But I have chosen to use what is often considered to be a craft process, because I think it is the best way to communicate what the work is about - what artists call the content of the work. Patchwork cushions are usually associated with nice, cosy, comfortable homes. But, when you look more closely, you will see that the 'patterns' are photographs of high-rise flats, boarded-up windows and graffiti. And the titles, such as Home Sweet Home and Sweet Dreams, are the opposite of what you would expect from the photographs. These contrasts make the work surprising. I want you to think about the whole idea of 'home' and what it can mean to different people.



SURPRISE is the unexpected, making you look at something more closely and question your initial reaction.