Submerged, 2026, Fabric, beads, stuffing, floral wire, organza ribbon, ankle weights, various dimensions
Submerged is a spatial installation which draws on the vibrant colours, textures and strange organic forms of an underwater landscape. Through textiles, the work explores the art therapy space as a site of transition, play and emotional discovery. Much like the ocean, the therapeutic space can be unfamiliar, unpredictable and, at times, uncomfortable. The smooth satin soft sculptures are adorned with beads and overlapped stitched textiles, creating forms that are simultaneously inviting and strange. The work reflects the dualities of the art therapy space as it can be gentle, healing and soothing, while also feeling awkward, knobbly, uncertain and unfamiliar. This tension is mirrored in the ocean, where beauty and comfort exist alongside mystery, depth and the unknown.
The underwater landscape is closely connected to my brother’s experience in recovery from a brain injury. As scuba diving has been such an important part of his life, recreating an underwater environment allowed me to create a space that felt tender, playful and familiar. At the same time, the softness, irregular forms and moments of disorder within the work reflect the challenges and struggles associated within the healing journey.
This dualism is symbolic of the art therapeutic space and the tension between feelings of familiarity and unfamiliarity that can arise for clients, and therapists. This is explored through the work of Donald Winnicott, whose work has been studied by art therapists, as he explores the concept of the ‘potential space’ which is a transitional space where art and play involve both the pleasant and unpleasant. The potential space, or transitional space, is the triangular space between therapist, client, and the materials, including the artwork. Underpinning this, Submerged symbolises this notion of the potential and transitional space as it provides it also creates a playful, bright and familiar environment, thus speaking to the potential for different possibilities in the art therapy space, while it also create a sense of unease, with its gaudy and garish aesthetic.
