Storytelling is at the heart of my artistic expression. I combine poetry with traditional crafts such as ceramics and textiles, weaving codes into the fabric of my creations—hidden stories that are perhaps difficult to tell or difficult to hear. I etch or stitch Morse code and other hidden languages into my 3D work, creating a tactile layer that invites viewers to decipher and engage with the narratives on a deeper level.
A distinctive aspect of my work comes from my past career as a medical statistician, which fuels my art with a love of cyphers, mathematics, and genetics. I was captivated by the journey of mitochondria through the maternal line, through our mother’s egg. I see these microscopic carriers as symbolic vessels of stories, passing down narratives through generations.
Motherhood and genetics hold a particular interest for me. I experienced an unexpected cardiac arrest in my late twenties. After my cardiac arrest, life looked different. More of an opportunity to connect than a challenge to succeed. The arrest also revealed a potential genetic fault, leading me to question decisions around motherhood and therefore challenging the deepest parts of my identity as a woman. If not a vessel for new life, then what? Combined, these realizations prompted me to delve into my family history, reconnecting with my roots and re-evaluating my own identity.
My hope is to create work that invites the viewer to consider the intricate connections between identity and the stories individuals tell themselves. As you engage with my work, I invite you to decipher your own narrative from within the hidden codes. What is fixed, and what can be changed? I am a storyteller, and so, perhaps, are you.
I’m currently based at Assembly Arts studios in Lancaster, UK and I am developing a language based around text gestures. My current work uses textiles to explore the idea of wearing markers of identity. I’m looking to see what is revealed, and what is kept hidden.
Rae Tribbick 