Bewitched (2022)
“Roan-tree and red thread
Haud the witches a’ in dread…”
The Rowan tree was considered a blessed tree in Scotland. People planted it in front of their houses for good luck, and made crosses and hoops out of its branches to protect themselves from witchcraft. Cutting it was taboo. Yet, in his witchcraft treatise Daemonologie (1597) James VI questioned whether “commonlie daft wives… knitting Rowan trees” were practising witchery…
Inspired by the research of the UK witch-hunt archives, the series depicts cursed and blessed plants with photograms of “fake” leaves- allegories for false accusations and beliefs, that were planted in people’s minds and led to institutionalised prosecution of anyone who didn’t fit in.
Unique handprinted silver gelatin prints with photograms on expired resin coated paper. Lubitel 166B camera, expired Ilford 120mm film.