BA (Hons) Ceramics 2005 |
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Amanda Crump Tel 07833 924502 |
I am very interested in the notion of shock art, and have used this tactic to some degree, however, I have found that incorporating this with a twist of humour can actually work to a greater advantage. This combination of initial humour, followed by the realisation of what is actually being viewed, results in a feeling of guilt; it is this feeling of guilt and of pity which I hope to provoke within each of my viewers. I have been greatly influenced by illustrators such as Gerald Scarfe, and in particular Ralph Steadman. My drawings have been the initial response towards the subject I have chosen, and in turn, have allowed me to develop through my ceramic work. The 'chicken and basket' have been the base for my ceramic work as I wanted to use an everyday looking and innocent object to lure my audience into a comfort zone. This object is also a common piece in the kitchen environment, and by bringing the truth of where eggs actually come from to the end of the retail chain within the kitchen, instantly cancels out the whole 'ignorance is bliss' attitude which our society is so fond of doing. 'Lame Compassion' series does just this, incorporating pieces from an actual dead battery hen and removing its beak as would be done in the battery farm. 'Unconscious life of a suicidal hen' series shows the hen`s unawareness of life and how the eggs which they are unable nest on are the reason for their life behind bars. The egg boxes in 'Spent Hen' are stacked to the exact size of a battery cage. This gives an idea of the claustrophobia and frustration suffered in the 72 weeks an average bird spends in these conditions. |
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The conditions in which battery hens are kept have always been a major concern of mine, so the main importance in my work is to reflect these feelings, and indeed the truth behind the food which we use so readily. 
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