Liminal Matter

A contemporary art exhibition centred around a series of sculptures derived from objects found on the shores of the River Thames and North Sea. Through subtle interventions with stitch, Cannon taps into their delicate transitory state, investigating the shifting boundaries between artefact and debris, functional and aesthetic, cultural and biological.

The exhibition explores the notion of ‘Liminal Matter’ in relation to the constantly shifting dynamic of the shore and its material. Working with objects washed up by the River Thames and the North Sea, Cannon creates subtle interventions which tap into their delicate transitory state. Her needle and thread mirrors the rhythmic action of the waves as she mimics the gradual accumulation of rust and organic matter by laboriously stitching together clusters of tiny beads. Alluding to processes of regeneration and acts of preservation, Cannon investigates the shifting territory between artefact and debris, functional and aesthetic, and cultural and biological.

Central to the exhibition is the major sculptural work ‘In Transition’ derived from an object washed up on Dunwich Beach, Suffolk, and identified as probable wreckage from the funnel or ventilator of a ship. The ebb and flow of the tide has begun to erode away at its identity, leaving an abstract structure with an opening longitudinally inviting access inside. Decades under the sea have ‘painted’ the internal surface with a patina of rich colours and textures.

Close scrutiny reveals the artist’s interventions, the crumbling surface subtly mutating into a bejewelled crust as it is quietly colonized by bead embroidery. A residue of rust accumulates around the rim of the object, which is retained in acknowledgement of its continued degradation. Embracing the transitional nature of the work, Cannon continues to respond to its evolution and will be working publicly in the gallery throughout the exhibition. Conversation with visitors is encouraged as the artist hopes to initiate dialogue which will further embellish the object with meaning.

The exhibition forms part of a residency at The Greenwich Maritime Centre, University of Greenwich, a cross-disciplinary platform for developing sustainable solutions for Maritime issues.