Claire Passmore, UK - Dragon's Blood
Known as 'dragon's blood' to
the ancient Greeks and Romans, the beautiful yet deadly ore cinnabar has been
mined in the Spanish town of Almadén since Biblical times. Although highly
toxic, when heated cinnabar breaks down to produce the unique and mysterious
metal we call mercury, a metal that is invaluable to science, medicine and
industry. As well as being the major source of metallic mercury, cinnabar can
also be transformed into an intense red pigment when finely ground. The pigment
is known as vermilion and has been a favourite of artists ever since the
Renaissance.
In 1937 the Spanish
Republican government invited Alexander Calder to create a piece for the
World's Exhibition in Paris. He chose to make a kinetic mercury fountain to pay
tribute to the people of Almadén, who suffered greatly at the hands of Franco's
fascist troops during the Spanish Civil War.
Mono print, simple piecing,
raw edge appliqué, straight line quilting
Cotton sateen, fiber reactive
dyes, silver leaf, organza, fabric paint, 70/30 poly/cotton batting, Isacord
thread
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