Del Kathryn Barton
of her own nature
2022
Cambia Ash with Cambia Ash and Rock Maple inlay, Abalone Blue and White Fresh Water mother of pearl inlay, hardwax oil, blackened steel
190 x 100 x 80 cm
Provenance

Private Collection, Sydney (acquired from the artist)

Exhibited

RoslynOxley9, Sydney, ‘Del Kathryn Barton: the women who fell to earth’, May 2022

With its delicate surface, ‘of her own nature’ (2022) is a stunning work that showcases Del Kathryn Barton’s idiosynratic exploration of feminine power, the ethereal and her fascination with the natural world and its symbolic resonance. In 2017, as Del Kathryn Barton faced her mother’s terminal illness, she conceptualized a large shell vessel as a symbol for a journey through the universe to an afterlife. This vision resulted in the artwork ‘At the Foot of Your Love’, an installation with a large shell and patched textile sail which was prominently featured in her exhibition ‘The Highway is a Disco’ at the National Gallery of Victoria. Later, the artist collaborated again with the specialist firm Élan continuing her exploration of this important motif, resulting in a collection of three smaller wooden shells: the queen conch, the nautilus shell, and the spider conch. With their exquisite marquetry and tactile surfaces, the resulting sculptures perfectly capture Del Kathryn Barton’s unique practice in sculptural form.