Snowdrop
Louise Garland
Reclaimed wood, lid of petrol tank, text extracted from the poem 'Snowdrop' by Ted Hughes
2020
'Snow drop' is a small wall relief inspired by the short poem written by the late poet laureate, Ted Hughes. The short poem describes the sadness yet resilience of this small winter flower, with her head bowed and 'shrunk tight', as she survives the cold winter. I believe this poem may also be an analogy for Ted’s then wife, Sylvia Plath, who suffered from depression. In the poem ' The Blue Flannel Suit', from his book 'Birthday Letters', he describes Sylvia’s posture in a similar manner to the Snowdrop. Both have a strong fragility; but sadly Sylvia’s depression defeated her, and she died during the extremely cold winter in London, in 1963.
Snow Drop by Ted Hughes
Now is the globe shrunk tight
Round the mouse’s dulled wintering heart.
Weasel and crow, as if moulded in brass,
Move through an outer darkness
Not in their right minds,
With the other deaths. She, too, pursues her ends,
Brutal as the stars of this month,
Her pale head heavy as metal.
I am a fine artist who primarily creates wall constructions and sculptures using reclaimed wood and found objects. Although the concepts may vary, the majority of my work engages with the philosophical belief in the continuum of life.
Instagram: @louisegarlandart
Website: www.axisweb.org.louisegarland