Wave Formation
“‘The ocean is the source of all life. With every drop you drink and every breath you take, you are connected to the ocean no matter where on Earth you live.’”
Wave Formation
70 original monoprinted etchings on Somerset Satin paper. Each 27 x 19.5cm.
Animation 11seconds. 2016.
First shown at Intertidal, part of the Whitstable Biennale 2016 Satellite program. June 2016.
In removing ink from the etched plate using brushes and rags, I have produced a series of mono-prints following the micro movements of a wave’s swash and backwash. The repetitive printmaking process mimics the cyclical motion of the sea, with the printing press literally rolling over the metal plate.
The etched map locates the viewer on the North Kent coast but the piece aims to celebrate a broader connection with the Earth and its oceans.
In animating the prints, the energy of the wave is experienced as it surges forward and drags backwards, its rhythm resonating with the pattern of our breathing - 3 seconds in, 3 seconds out. Perhaps it sends a deeper message to our brains - that we are part of something larger than ourselves that is powerful, connected to the moon, sun and deep ocean.
Photograph of map reproduced by kind permission of CHATHAM HISTORIC DOCKYARD TRUST.
