Beccy Clarke

Seashell Grotto takes inspiration from folktales of mermaids as a queer and feminist symbol. The mermaid is dual; the femme fatale and the naive maiden, half human half fish, the Madonna and the whore, both a sex symbol and lacking the necessary ‘parts’ to engage. Seashell Grotto aims to decentralise the objectification of the mermaid and allow the audience to immerse themselves in her world through her own eyes. A textile-based installation, the work is made up of wire, knitted lace, seaweed bioplastics, printed teabags, and knitted structures.