by MILES LOWRY
Miles Lowry showcases his latest works influenced by his residencies in Ireland and his studies of the Irish Ogham Alphabet.
In it’s earliest manifestation the Irish Ogham script can be found carved into ancient stone markers in the Irish countryside. It has since been lost, found, saved from obscurity and disputed for centuries. According to the medieval scribes who recorded it, the letters played an important role in the Bardic mystical tradition of honouring sacred trees and plants.
The fusion of mark-making and language is at the centre of Lowry’s approach as he merges modern pigments, paper, wax and wood with his own inks (by boiling oak galls or acorns) based on medieval recipes. As such, trees are sometimes both the substance and the subject of the works. In this exhibition Lowry explores Ogham, its symbolism and how trees can portray abstract expressions, reflect hidden communications and inspire spiritual investigations.
The series premiered at Fortune Gallery in Victoria, BC October 1 - 13, 2019. Please enjoy this constantly changing exhibition.
This exhibition was created as part of Lowry's 2018/19 Artist-in-Residence Fellowship at the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Victoria.
