RITUAL REMOVAL, 2022.

Ritual Removal is a large format vellum book directly inspired by artefacts from the V&A’s general collection. In particular, the somersault cup, a 16th century vessel without a base or a foot, often used during rituals. The cup leaves the user with only two options — to either drink everything at once, or to dump out their entire beverage. Ritual Removal also looks at the work of mediaeval bookmaking masters, with the illuminated manuscript being deeply associated with the ritualistic nature of the craft itself. 



The interruption of routine, and removal of essential functionality from an object highlights the importance of affordances; leading me to embark on further examination of the emotional responses associated with these physical totems. This investigation is at the heart of Ritual Removal— what are the emotional, and ceremonial implications of these objects being changed or removed entirely? 

Addressing contemporary, commonplace rituals often perceived as mundane through writing, experimental typesetting, and multiformat illustration highlights these emotional responses exposed through the erosion of rituals; posing theoretical questions to the audience about why their objects matter, why their rituals matter, and what they would do without them. 



Stoke Newington, Hackney, N16
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