Sarah Misselbrook 2017
Comunió de la vida
In 2017, I embarked on a creative journey that culminated in the creation of this evocative work of art. Inspired by my enduring fascination with the fig tree, I sought to capture its essence in a deeply personal and introspective manner. The drawing meticulously depicts the intricate internal structure of the fig fruit, serving as a testament to my ongoing obsession with this resilient plant.
Central to the composition are the hands, cast from my own in gesso, which stand as poignant symbols of yearning and resilience. Positioned in a posture of waiting and beseeching for water, they serve as a visual metaphor for the fig tree’s remarkable ability to thrive in adverse conditions. Like the fig tree, which flourishes in any space, devoid of regular water and enriched soil, these hands embody the tenacity and resilience of rural depopulating villages.
Through this artwork, I endeavour to convey a profound message of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. The fig tree, with its indomitable spirit, becomes a powerful emblem of resilience, reminding us of the inherent strength that lies within every individual and community. As viewers engage with the drawing, they are invited to reflect on the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for growth and renewal, even in the harshest of environments.
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.
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.
