Ashanti Moon at Newlyn Art Gallery
I thought it was time I shared a bit more about the Ashanti Moon installation which is currently in the Captured Beauty exhibition at Newlyn Art Gallery until 18th June 2022.
Catherine with Ashanti Moon Installation at Newlyn Art Gallery
Ashanti Moon by Catherine Lucktaylor
Black womanhood, community and creating rituals for personal healing are at the heart of my practice. This exhibition is a synthesis of many years of research into my African heritage. The use of the Adinkra symbols connects me with my father who is from the Ashanti region of Ghana. I’m creating a dialogue between different materials, nature and grief rituals.
Adinkra Divination Stones
Core elements of the installation include:
Adinkra symbols, adapted from historical Ghanaian motifs used on funeral clothes and for ceremonial purposes, contain deep wisdom. The Adinkra stones and discs are key elements in the Grief Rituals and Ancestral Healing.
Three ‘Ashanti Moon Mothers’ sculptures are guardians, and welcome guests. They evoke the elders, maternal respect and ancestral wisdom.
A rich golden canopy serves to hold physical and symbolic space and unites the elements.
The Adinkra Wisdom Vessels serves as memory keepers. They acknowledge and honour our ancestors as the bedrock of who we are today.
Branches and leaves of rosemary, signifying remembrance, and bay, offering protection, form an integral part of the work, recalling the ancestral altar.
Behind the scenes in the studio
2022 got off to a flying start for me. I had just over a month to design and create the installation for Captured Beauty Exhibition at Newlyn Art Gallery. What a wonderful opportunity! I was so excited to have my work in such a gorgeous gallery.
I really loved the process of curating my own ceramics. I wanted to tell a story of hope and healing with the Ashanti Moon installation. Here’s some images of ideas I was playing with in my studio.
I had already spent the past year experimenting with new ideas, researching the Adinkra Symbols and incorporating them into the my ceramics. When I saw an opportunity to be part of the Captured Beauty exhibition I knew it was the perfect place to exhibit this new work. All of the elements were already there, I just needed to find a way to curate the pieces into a cohesive installation. That’s how Ashanti Moon was born. The work I had been creating for over a year has had such an impact in the space and I’m delighted it’s received such a positive response.
Alongside the ceramics I have been developing Healing Arts events including Grief Rituals and Ceremonies. The Ashanti Moon Grief Rituals use art, ritual and community to create a transformational experience and a safe space to release long held grief.
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