How do bodies reflect emotions? Starting with self-reflection, Métis artist, Nichol Marsch, deals with the idea of personal identity, broadening into social issues. Mainly creating multimedia sculptural installations and site-specific pieces, she invites viewers to be aware of the social constructs we encounter every day. Nichol’s practice incorporates various art and traditional craft techniques such as ceramics, embroidery, beading, weaving, as well as woodworking.
Nichol’s works typically follows a premeditated procedure. First she chooses a topic/theme. Then a specific, rigid and systematic process is imposed, allowing for time to thoroughly engage in the concepts through repetitive production while constructing the works. The starting point of her installations is defining the topic she wants to investigate and determining a relevant process. Often she not only deals with her own body, but with the female body in general, highlighting the complicated relationship between it and society.
Exploration of Emotions and Identity
Nichol’s latest exhibition, Self Portrait (2024), displayed 32 dolls that Nichol sewed using “female” products such as tights, makeup, shoulder pads, nail polish, rose petals, bra underwires and her own hair. The dolls represent not only specific characteristics of the body, but also normal human emotions such as grief, pain and sadness. The topics explored in this work involve emotions that have been felt by Nichol, but also observed in others. Society and social media often refer to these emotions as negative, or something that should be hidden. With Self Portrait, Nichol aims to highlight that these feelings are part of everyone’s life. We shouldn’t conceal these feelings behind a false facade of positivity. Instead, we should accept them as part of our life, rejecting the toxic positivity that can lead to repressed emotions.
images by PILOTENKUECHE or supplied by artist
Nichol also investigates the vulnerability of the female body. In a new series Barrens (2022-2024) she produced a series of cervix inspired forms made out of ceramic, a material which addresses the sense of strength and fragility. The excellent craftsmanship suggests an aesthetic value, enhanced by beautiful fresh flowers placed inside/on the cervices. Some of these works present diseases, and in those cases, the flowers have dried out. The female body is thus depicted in both a beautiful blooming state and as attacked by illnesses that have led to decay. In this second case, Nichol wants to point out cervical pathologies that affect women, since this topic is often marginalised.
Nichol Marsch’s bridging Scottish and Indigenous Roots through Art
For the PILOTENKUECHE residency, Nichol will reflect on her Scottish and indigenous roots. She plans to create a third work in her Creation series which focuses on mixed heritage and their respective creation beliefs. Previous work has drawn from the creation story of Turtle Island, and The Story of Creation from the Bible: Genesis. The new work will be inspired by Nichol’s Scottish heritage, and the traditional craft of making Orkney chairs, a combination of woodworking and weaving/basketry. Using traditional woodworking technics and incorporating weaving and other traditional crafts, Nichol will draw on traditional creation stories and myth to produce this work. In addition she is working on the initial pieces for an upcoming series based in beadwork and leather work.
Francesca Revello
Fleshy Gesture : Texture
Vernissage Sat 31 Aug 7-10 PM
Open Sun 1 – Wed 4 Sept 4-8 PM
Alte Handelsschule
Giesserstr 75
04229 Leipzig
Abandoned New Position
Vernissage Sat 21 Sept 7-10 PM
Sun 22 – Wed 25 Sept 4-8 PM
PILOTENKUECHE
Franz-Flemming-Str 9
04179 Leipzig