I belong to the Artist’s Programme run by the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich. The group, run by the wonderful education department, encourages artists through a programme of workshops and regular meetings to consider issues around a range of practice related topics. Although I love the built environment of the displays there are not many objects that relate to my particular subjects of interest (Moby-Dick and British Arctic Whaling).

Over the last year I have been thinking about the context of the collections and made an experimental piece of work that deviates from my normal practice. It is a double-sided semi-circular cloak, rather like a Bishop’s Cope. The imagery on it is inspired by the whaling, maritime and Inuit collections I’ve seen on my travels.

Whaler cloak European side

One side is about European Arctic Whaling – a large chart of the region from the 1800s with parts blank where they had not yet been explored and a border of quadrant and compass – the tools that enabled navigation and mapping of the area.

Whaler cloak Arctic side

On the other side are Arctic images of the Northern lights (from the city crest of Murmansk), an Icebound sea, species of whale that were hunted and a representations of the little whale figures that Inuit attached to spears and buckets (from the museum at Nanortalik, Southern Greenland/Kalaallit Nunaat). There are also images based on designs from a ‘19th C Alaskan souvenir whalebone mug’ in the reserve collection at the Sainsbury Centre. It is fastened using a reindeer antler toggle (bought from a Saami stallholder in Tromso).

Whaler cloak Arctic side folded

Whaler cloak European side folded

It has taken a while to complete, or rather, I think it has taken the amount of time it needed. The design – the border and fastening have evolved as the garment was made and I have been surprised at how much presence it has and how I feel when I wear it. If I wore it at the seashore, I wouldn’t be surprised if I could charm the whales to come to me!