Emma Edmondson’s inquiry into the state of things in the event of a societal collapse

The World Without Us | The Vaults Gallery, London
29 September – 25 October, 2015

Through the use of everyday materials, UK artist Emma Edmondson examines the relationship between humans and our surroundings in a rapidly changing world. Her work features in the exhibition trilogy, The World Without Us alongside multimedia artist Rose Cleary. Influenced by the seminal writings of Alvin Toffler and drawing inspiration from our anthropological past, objects are repurposed in an imagined dystopian future. Edmondson’s work is simultaneously a critical warning against unconscious consumption and a testament to human innovation, adaptability and creativity.

Fundamentally sculptural, the artist’s method is as environmentally conscious as her message. All of her materials are recycled – all of her sculptures for that matter, are recycled. Her work is in a constant state of flux, with each sculpture adapted before exhibited again. Fluid and transient, this process is a nod to evolution and a challenge to the art market.

The direction of the work is largely driven by the materials given to the artist, making her practice a collaborative adventure. Each material encountered poses a new challenge to Edmondson, who is excited about the future form it will take. The result is often bright and textural, with a modest dose of kitsch. Edmondson’s lust for creating radiates through the unique playfulness of each evolving sculpture.

All objects are fashioned by the artist’s own hand. A shiny cloth knitted from salvaged cassette tape is draped atop a tall, leaning structure of papier mâché, testing its balance. A soft, sluggish form, sewn from scraps of animal-print spandex is nestled in a bed of metallic shred and polystyrene. Visitors are invited to take a seat in the ‘library’ and browse through collaged publications found in the shelves amongst a series of small baked sculptures. By adopting traditional craft techniques such as weaving, papier mâché, sewing and baking, Edmondson challenges the enduring hierarchy between art and craft and also reminds viewers of our human capabilities.

Rough faux-stone is dressed with hot pink gloss to form a monument that twists upwards like Tatlin’s tower, complete with a golden phallus. The motif of the stone is repeated throughout the exhibition, sometimes faux, sometimes real and on occasions indiscernible. The resulting landscape is at once familiar and deceiving, alluring and repelling. It invites conversation. Through this recurring presence of stone, the artist pays homage to our ancestors whose ability to carve the first tools out of stone represents a fundamental step in the history of the development of modern civilisations.

The tacky, disposable materials that are juxtaposed with the stone motif provide a stark contrast. New and old, smooth and rough, temporary and enduring, artificial and natural… The present and the past collide to suggest a possible future in harmony. Edmondson breathes new life into mass- produced “junk”, rendering otherwise obsolete items, meaningful.

Despite the sombre tone of The World Without Us, the abstract and playful nature of Edmondson’s sculptures allow for creative dialogue about the new purposes that waste can take on as well as the potential role of art in an apocalypse. Having both a practical and philosophical direction, the work succeeds in engaging a broad audience. It is visually alluring, conceptually provocative, and frighteningly relevant.