Re:New Wallace #3

Artist Statement

When I started to research The Wallace Collection I became intrigued as to how the links between Lisburn and Richard Wallace were formed. This led to an exploration of ownership of the land via Royal decreed gangsterism through force of arms. It threw into relief the fraught relationship between Britain and Ireland in the 19th century; absentee landlords, rent strikes, decadent aristocrats, the Famine and Home Rule.

I also became fascinated by the life story of Laura Bell, one of Wallace's relatives. Laura epitomised the two roles assigned to women by Victorian standards: the Madonna and the Magdalene. The Victorian obsession with ‘fallen women’ was encapsulated in her relationship with Prime Minister Gladstone. I spent a week at the Wallace Collection in London exploring the artworks and family archive. The diversity of subject matter led me to utilise a diversity of processes.

Video and audio allowed for a presentation of the complete collection accompanied by a soundtrack that was inspired by a debauched 1% living in off the backs of the working poor, the relationship between Britain and Ireland and the unhelpful concept of the nation-state. The symbolism of nationhood is also referenced in a set of limited edition printed tea towels, linen of course, and using the high colour-key vernacular of traditional Irish memorabilia. The towel image also appears in black and white as a large scale wall hanging, sucking up colour dyes through osmosis, turning national flag colours into a muddy brown. Gladstone is featured in a digital collage printed in archival inks, dreaming of falling women.

I’d like to thank R-Space for giving me the opportunity to begin this exploration, The Wallace Collection for their support and access to their archives, Lisburn Museum for access to land agent maps and particularly Anthea McWilliams for sharing her knowledge, enthusiasm, encouragement and vision. I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface of the Wallace/Lisburn connection.

View more of the works on the artist’s website