The Cabinet of CuriositY

Cabinets of Curiosity or Rooms of Wonder emerged in the 16th century, a great age of travel and discovery.  They were rooms rather than a piece of furniture and were places of entertainment that were used to convey the status of the cabinets owner.

I can’t imagine what it must have been like to live in an age of such discovery and wonderment.  They contained items of natural history, geology, ethnography,  antiquities and archeology.  The viewers must have been awed by such collections and without the knowledge of their origin.

They often contained Jennys also known as Jenny Hanivers which were fabulous creations constructed by combining parts of different animals together to create something strange and full of  wonder. I have also been inspired by this but I combine different objects digitally.

I photograph textures and patterns wherever I go. The backgrounds of the triptych comprising of Distillation, Camel Bird and Moth Tree are 16th century panels in a narrow passageway off the main street in Kingsbridge, Devon. I have photographed them several times and wonder how many people pass them by and never see them.