lucy mcrae: prickly lamp for broached commissions

‘prickly lamp’ by lucy mcrae image courtesy of broached colonial commission

australian artist lucy mcrae explores unique combinations of materials used to transform the well known human physique into unknown and sometimes disturbing forms. the use of the human silhouette creates a unique relationship between the viewer and the work, allowing them to identify with the morphing of the skin.

in a new application of the idea, mcrae’s concept of creating a second skin is applied to an industrial object with ‘prickly lamp’. using texture and form, the lamp is given an anthropomorphic quality. the project is a representation of the living conditions of australian women during the colonial period. the contrast between their nature and their harsh environment is represented in both the skin and the form of the lamp. their journey back to the basic survival instincts are expressed through 20,000 pieces of hand dyed wood sticks. the utilitarian material is simultaneously reminiscent of hair and of sharp nails, confusing the senses between the soft feel of fur and the pain of being pricked by a sharp point. the vegetable dyed sticks range from light grays to browns to blacks, adding to the visual depth of the piece while communicating their colorless existence. the varying directionality of the twigs makes it appear as though the metal object has grown the coat as a protective layer, a metaphor for the austere reality that the women endured and overcame.

mcrae’s work will be shown in the launch of the broached colonial commission in melbourne along with works by max lamb, charles wilson, trent jansen, adam goodrum and chen lu.

head of lamp image courtesy of broached colonial commission