Jasmine Simpson

"We humans have used zoomorphic iconography for as long as we could depict animals onto cave walls. We use animals to represent ourselves, they have become archetypes, spiritual entities and greatest allies. The term ‘Phsycopomp’ particularly interests me, throughout history; across many cultures these creatures/spirits are said to take the form of a number of animals to help guide the dying into the afterlife. In Jungian Psychology the phsycopomp is a mediator between the conscious and unconscious, I see them as a representation of our inner selves. I often find myself with sketchbook in hand capturing initial drawings and paintings of live subjects in nature, I can then use these expressive snapshots to inform my sculptural practice. I reference literature that looks at animals as metaphor, a theme that allows me to investigate the ambiguous, dark humour of the human spirit, such as the works of Ted Hughes ‘Crow’ and George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’. I like to tell a story about these subjects in a variety of materials including paper and ceramics, the ghostly white materials provide a canvas in animal form which alludes to spirit-like creatures revealed behind the layers of ink, paint, oxides and stains. In future I want to explore a multiplicity of mediums that will inform each other, such as books, painting, print, ceramics and wood."