Ancient Scent was a group project exploring the life, art, and magical practices of Ithell Colquhoun. Instigated by Steve Patterson, Penny MacBeth, and Lally MacBeth and initially working in Lamorna Valley where Colquhoun lived, a group of artists, performers, and sorcerers worked individually and collaboratively. 

I made several works during this project, including Stones That Whisper, Stones That Dance, Stones That March As An Army, a sound installation made in collaboration with Champy Bennet, Kathryn Mackrory, Daniel Maxwell Pooley, Oddstep Deployment Unit, Neil Rose and Oliver Sutherland. Whilst researching some of the sacred sites in Devon and Cornwall where Ithell Colquhoun performed her rituals and/or made artwork, I created field recordings of her explorations. These recorded circumnavigations are reminiscent of the practice of treading the mill; walking clockwise around a circle created for magical purposes. The original site recordings were then distributed to collaborators (including folklorists, artists, writers and architects), who then each made an aural response to the sounds, histories and energies of these sites. This was shown as part of Field Note’s exhibition Hummadruz at Newlyn Art Gallery.

Ancient Scent (A Table Read) was a table read of a radio play with live foley, re-telling some of my experiences during the Ancient Scent project. This was performed at my end of residency event as part of Standpoint Futures.

"Concerning the Interior Stars": Scrying as Self-Care was a two-part workshop, commissioned by artist Jemma Egan alongside her exhibition Turning to Dust, at Assembly Point London. The works in the exhibition examined the alluring and absurd language and imagery employed in the wellness industry including ideas of ritual and belief. The workshops engaged with the art of scrying; traditionally a way to divine the future using a reflective object, but also used as a meditation, magical, and self-care tool. In the first session we walked to Hilly Fields Stone Circle where we made scrying bowls together. In the second session, we scryed as a group at the gallery, and drew and recorded what we saw. The title of the workshop comes from Colquhoun’s esoteric essay De Astris Interioribus.

It’s Always Grey In Ballycumber was a photographic zine which documented the Ancient Scent residency in County Offaly, Ireland. 

With thanks to the collaborators of Ancient Scent, Standpoint Futures, Chisenhale Art Place, Jemma Egan and Assembly Point London, Field Notes, and Newlyn and The Exchange Cornwall.