Tessa Farmer: In Fairyland at Leeds College of Art /
This exhibition which includes the Cottingley Fairies and work by Su Blackwell, Sverre Malling and Annelies Strba is on until the 26th February.
The Cottingley Fairies fly home in the forthcoming exhibition 'In Fairyland'.
It is now almost a century since the infamous fairy photographs were taken in a small village a few miles outside Leeds. In 1917 and 1920, Elsie Wright and her cousin Frances Griffiths took photographs of what appeared to be fairies frolicking by the local beck. These photographs captured the imagination of writer Arthur Conan Doyle whose father, Charles, and uncle, Richard, illustrated fairies a generation before. Taking its title from Richard Doyle’s 'In Fairyland' (1870), this exhibition explores the medium of the fairy and, reciprocally, the fairy as medium. (Through representation) we invite you to re-question your belief in these magical beings.
An Injured Herring Gull (detail)", 2013, antique taxidermy seagull, crabs, insects, plant roots, hedgehog spines.
Farmer's tiny fairy sculptures offer an entomological, 'accurate' variety with body parts poached from wasps and butterflies. Her fairies have twisted instincts when compared with the decorative Cottingley paper cut-outs propped up with hatpins. Farmer's fairies don't dance; they swarm. Clustering around Farmer's insidious species will be several other examples of 'Cottingley art' including the photographs themselves.
Alice and Leaping Fairy © Glenn Hill / National Media Museum/Science & Society Picture Library
Books and bookworms /
The fairies have been worming their way into quite a few books of late. Here are three fantastic recent publications:
VIKTOR WYND'S CABINET OF WONDERS
http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/projects/book/#.VGN4OYVBf01
THE MULTISPECIES SALON by Eben Kirksey (editor)
This includes my work and features an image from 'Little Savages' on the front cover.
TAXIDERMY ART: A ROGUES GUIDE by Robert Marbury
The Infected Museum at The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities /
This incredible museum is now open and I am delighted to have several pieces displayed in the permanent collection and as part of the temporary exhibition 'The Infected Museum' which runs until May 2015
Disquiet Beauty at Rochester Art Gallery /
Works by Kate MccGwire, Zara Carpenter, Tessa Farmer & Kerry Howley
24 October 2014 – 3 January 2015
This exhibition brings together the work of four artists who all explore notions of beauty and alienation, attraction and repulsion and the otherworldly in their use of materials and form.
Holburne infestation not yet over /
Since the summer infestation the fairies have been lurking in dark corners of the museum and have returned for one last hurrah. They have invaded one of the Holburne's Christmas trees and are wreaking havoc once again. More information here
