Abstract
Review, Kate MccGwire: Menagerie, Harewood House, Leeds
During an unprecedented moment when our sense of touch has become compromised, an exhibition that rejoices in tactility and aesthetic embrace feels like forbidden fruit. Yet, writing through the feathers of sculptor Kate MccGwire has bestowed on me a heightened sensitivity to the continuity of the seasons, as birds continue to nest and take wing. Chiefly known for her intricate and labour-intensive feather sculptures, MccGwire’s practice brings to mind the ecocritical theory of Donna Haraway, particularly the idea that a dialogue with other species can remind us of our social responsibilities. Haraway argues that when we ‘touch’ animals, we are simultaneously touching generations of history...
During an unprecedented moment when our sense of touch has become compromised, an exhibition that rejoices in tactility and aesthetic embrace feels like forbidden fruit. Yet, writing through the feathers of sculptor Kate MccGwire has bestowed on me a heightened sensitivity to the continuity of the seasons, as birds continue to nest and take wing. Chiefly known for her intricate and labour-intensive feather sculptures, MccGwire’s practice brings to mind the ecocritical theory of Donna Haraway, particularly the idea that a dialogue with other species can remind us of our social responsibilities. Haraway argues that when we ‘touch’ animals, we are simultaneously touching generations of history...
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Corridor 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Jul 2020 |