HELEN SNELL Laser cut sculpture and installation

My current series of laser cut paper and acrylic vessels explore the theme of survival.

I produced these works during my residency in the laser cutting studios at Plymouth College of Art and Design.

The initial impetus for this work was a commission from Dartington Arts to work with veteran U.S. site specific choreographer Stephan Koplowitz and his company Taskforce for LIQUID LANDSCAPES, a series of water related dance performances in Plymouth in June 2009. I was commissioned to produce a site specific installation of over 300 multi coloured paper vessels to which the dancers responded at the Mayflower Steps. The first designs focused on a simple net shape and were all hand cut.

The first prototype boat shape was based on a commercial packaging net, but I repeatedly customised this to produce a range of more complex laser cut vessels. The boat can be seen as a life raft piled high with remnants of lost lands, a salvage vessel or Noah’s Arc. The devil is in the detail however; the imagery reveals that, in our rush to discover pastures new or to escape the exhausted and derelict, we bring with us unwanted passengers, be they stowaways in the form of non indigenous species, viruses, and voracious technologies, or simply our own inadequacies.

photo: laser cut copper boats produced with a bursary from the Quenington Sculpture Foundation
profile photo credit : Steve Russell

All images copyright Helen Snell
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My Location

Website: http://www.axisweb.org/p/helensnell/

Profile Details

Disciplines

Artist, Arts and Crafts, Design

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My News

Once Upon a Time at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen / Sat 21 Nov 2015

Here are some of my paper boats that are currently on sale at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen as part of the Once Upon A Time selling exhibition in the Riverside Gallery.

Design for Devon Guild of Craftsmen Christmas card / Sun 16 Nov 2014

The design for this year's Devon Guild of Craftsmen Christmas card features one of my laser cut designs, available from the Devon Guild shop.

British Forces News - feature on A Short Fuze exhibition at NMRN / Wed 30 Jul 2014

Here is a short film feature about my current residency and exhibition at the National Museum of the Royal Navy Portsmouth which was broadcast 29 June 2014 on British Forces News. Please click on link below. http:/...

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My Events

Paper Structures Workshop - Arts Lab Dartington / Sat 27 Jan 2018

A one day workshop with Helen Snell . A chance to explore and develop a range of paper sculpture techniques, looking at net design, cutting, folding and joining to develop a piece of wearable sculpture. Participants will...

Gather-ing, Somerset Rural Life Museum / Sat 23 Sep to Sat 11 Nov 2017 (2 months)

The large tithe barn at Stoke Sub Hamdon Priory, Somerset, is amongst a rare and unique group of medieval domestic and agricultural buildings. This was the focus of a contemporary craft project in 2015. The commissioned ...

A LONG SHADOW / Tue 15 Nov 2016 to Sun 29 Jan 2017 (2 months)

• The exhibition, A Long Shadow, marks the three year tenure by Helen as the museum’s artist in residence An exhibition of three dimensional artwork that challenges visitors to rethink events in our shared history is...

My Videos

British Forces News - feature on A Short Fuze exhibition at NMRN

Explosion Museum is delighted to announce the installation of a new exhibition that will run from June until October amongst the existing gallery displays. The exhibition is the work of artist Helen Snell who has...

A LONG SHADOW -That's Solent TV feature

The exhibition, A Long Shadow, marks the three year tenure by Helen as the museum’s artist in residence An exhibition of three dimensional artwork that challenges visitors to rethink events in our shared history is t...