Following a SOME TIMES solo residency at The Art House, Lucy Mellor presented her exhibition A Glaring of Owls, which examines the birds’ mixed symbolism of wisdom and terrifying nature.
The artist examines people’s connection with owls, and how they may often identify with, and can easily imbue with human characteristics of wisdom and knowledge. However, some people are superstitious about these nocturnal birds, with many associations of ill omens, whose cry heralds death, ill health and misfortune. Thought to be unlucky if seen during daylight hours, they come to represent the mysterious and have been associated with sorcery, witches and corpses.
For this exhibition, Mellor explored the impact of a vast number of these birds in a single space. Her residency was a space for experimenting with printmaking, particularly the product of the printmaking process. During her time at The Art House, the artist generated hundreds of printed owls from etching plates, and displayed them in the old Drury Lane library waiting for audiences to find them.
