Das Buschwoman

2016 Turner Prize nominee Anthea Hamilton is heavily inspired by the French writer, dramatist and early surrealist Antonin Artaud’s quest for the ‘physical knowledge of images.’ Through surprising juxtapositions of material, scale and humour, her works aim for this visceral reaction. ‘The skill in my work,’ she says, ‘is more about play, being deft in spotting visual associations of material rather than manipulating them through craft, thinking about the legacy of Surrealism’s connection to everyday objects. In Das Buschwoman I used a roll of woven cane and a swirly ceramic pot as the base; these suggest an idea of refinement and art nouveau. I shop a lot at fleamarkets and I’m interested in objects which have a seductive visual and tactile quality. I try to balance my personal desire for these objects with how I think someone else will react to them. I want to test the validity of clichés, question what iconography can be. The figure could be a black activist, a disco queen, or a clown but to close off the flexibility of the image by making a decision would be a mistake. Her elegant form comes through the juxtaposition of materials. Her nose is made from the end of a baguette and is upturned, her eyes are hidden like she’s closing herself off to you.’