Sarah Misselbrook 2016
Calvary
In 2016, I embarked on a deeply personal exploration of themes surrounding renewal and resilience through the creation of this poignant installation. Inspired by the remarkable ability of the fig tree to regenerate even in the face of devastation, I sought to weave together layers of symbolism and metaphor that speak to the human experience of transformation and rebirth.
Located on Carrer Calvari, amidst the remnants of the old washroom known as el Lavadero, the installation draws a profound connection between the act of cleansing and the renewal of life symbolised by the fig tree. At the heart of the installation are fig leaves meticulously painted with gesso, their delicate forms serving as tangible representations of fragility and resilience.
Through a meticulous process, I peeled away the painted leaves to reveal fragile, thin casts, symbolising the delicate balance between life and death. On one side, these fragile leaves are piled, while on the other side, the fire fuelled by fig branches illuminates the space, casting shadows that dance between black and white.
The juxtaposition of life and death, light and darkness, forms the core narrative of the installation, inviting viewers to contemplate the cyclical nature of existence and the transformative power of renewal. As spectators engage with the installation, they are invited to reflect on their own journey of growth and renewal, finding solace in the enduring resilience of the human spirit.
Misselbrook was born in the United Kingdom in 1977. The artist graduated with honours in Fine Arts in 2000, Nottingham Trent University (UK) and it is from then on, when she begins her multimedia practice. In 2007, she studied for a postgraduate degree in Fine Arts at the Cyprus College of Art, Paphos. In 2011, she studied a Master of Fine Arts at the Winchester School of Art (UK). Since 2012, Misselbrook has lived in the Riba-roja d’Ebre countryside, which serves as her connection and is her source of inspiration for her works.
Misselbrook completed a qualification focussing on disordered psychology and obtained her teaching qualification (PGCE) in 2004 from the University of Southampton.
Her practice includes ‘performance’, video recordings with her voice in isolation and ‘site-specific’ sculptural installations. She addresses various topics such as gender, feminism, the female body as a canvas, and consumption. In this sense, she focuses on the individual responsibility of consumption and its environmental consequences. To do this, she uses degradable or edible materials such as chocolate, soap, latex, soil or wax.
The juxtaposition of hard against soft, light against dark, and sensual against skeleton are elements of Misselbrook’s visual language. In short, an internal struggle in a body that is all-consuming. Recently, she has been invited to create an installation and a performance in the Maials forest, which was
devastated by a forest fire in June 2019. The work is part of the ‘Cendrart’ project. Her works are the result of the total immersion in the rural environment and the constant research on the balance between life and death, transience and fragility.
