From behind the mask

Theo Brooks describes what he gained from his Amanda Moriarty Prize residency at Teign Valley Glass Studio, where he developed two new strands of work.

On the residency, I wanted to respond to previous research I had done into archaeology. I had been inspired by reading archaeological journals with articles like ‘Masks and Ritual Performance on the Island of Cyprus’ by Erin Averett, among others.

I wanted to create contemporary reflections and reinventions of the objects that were used in ancient Cypriot rituals, inspired by decorative elements from rhyton vessels and other libation objects.

Having made the objects, I had a period of reflection away from the studio to explore the optics of the pieces before returning to develop my ideas further.

In particular, I focused on exploring these topics from a different viewpoint, with a concentration on the optics of the glass and its effects on patterns through refraction and reflection. I believed this would be a great way to tap into the idea of heritage, ancestral souls and relations, through the play between glass and light.

The outcomes are solid, clear glass sculptures that interact with geometric patterns in light boxes. The patterns are created through the abstraction of the Cypro-Minoan text, which are then activated by glass elements that were made in the hot shop at Teign Valley Glass (TVG). Some great effects were achieved.

I hope the sculptures will speak to the themes of rituals, dreams and celebrations through the influence of these ancient objects, which take care of the ‘spiritual’, lending themselves to the idea of community and collectiveness. I feel like the addition of a light source adds to these themes, suggesting some sort of ancestral presence.

Alongside the clear sculptures, I was able to try out some new work influenced by traditional folk instruments, focusing on the ‘bouzouki’, which belongs to the lute family. The dedicated time in the hot shop allowed me to test out new forms and designs.

I shall definitely build on the two bodies of new work that I made during the residency. I feel confident to take these works further, both technically and conceptually. I 100 per cent recommend the residency.

It was a great experience getting to connect with other makers at TVG and work alongside them in the hot shop while developing new pieces. I am very thankful for the generosity of TVG and CGS for providing me with the opportunity.

Main feature image: Some of the clear glass masks Theo made on the residency, with the lightboxes featuring geometric patterns creating magical effects. Photos courtesy of the artist.