Holding Cosmic Dust: a matriarchal history through future objects 

Hot Desque at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester, UK

20th January - 19th March 2024

 

Poster design by Samuel Tomsky

 

Holding Cosmic Dust, an exhibition intervention staged by Hot Desque showcases contemporary artworks by women and female-identifying artists amongst the permanent collection of locally found archaeological artefacts at the Corinium Museum. The project draws out connections between archaeology, history and fantasy.

Holly Graham, Rubie Green, Rebeca Romero, Amba Sayal-Bennett, Abel Shah and Suzanne Treister. 

Holding Cosmic Dust brings together artworks by Holly Graham, Rubie Green, Rebeca Romero, Amba Sayal-Bennett, Abel Shah and Suzanne Treister. The constellation of objects scattered throughout the museum acts as remnants of a speculative, matriarchal society which inhabited the same area at an unspecified time. The sculptures, drawings and sound pieces each carry their own story adding to the overall narrative. Together, they evoke lost culture, traditions and beliefs but are mysterious in their function and provenance. The objects are accompanied by a video almanac which adds another layer to the speculative framework and explores the potential meaning of the objects through digital reconstruction. All elements of Holding Cosmic Dust subtly suggest the potential values of a cosmo-centric civilisation attuned to their surroundings, occupied with ritual, art-making and a curiosity for the universe. 

Supported by The Corinium Museum, Arts Council England, The Swiss Church, Hypha Studios and Woodlands UK. 

Workshops delivered in collaboration with Peckham Levels, Step Out Mentoring, Lab Gloucestershire Library and Cirencester Bingham Library.

Amba Sayal-Bennett : Silo

Materials : powder-coated mild steel and PLA

Holly Graham : Within which all this is suspended: Acts of Betrayal installed at the Corinium Museum

Materials : oak, copper, iron, brass, resin

 

Abel Shah : Exodysis at the Corinium Museum

Materials: Surgical plaster, cement, latex, newspaper, aluminium, fibreglass, resin, cotton, hessian, insulation, shellac, varnish

 

Rebeca Romero : Midian Horizon at the Corinium Museum

Materials : 1.2mm Burnished brass, waterjet and fibre laser etched

 
 

Rubie Green : Kick Drums installed at the Corinium Museum

Materials : generative sound, reclaimed recording studio timber, acoustic plasterboard

 
 

Holding Cosmic Dust: An almanac at the Swiss Church in London

A video installation by Hot Desque. Creating theatrical environments through their collaborative practice, with An Almanac Hot Desque alludes to the behind-the- scenes of a speculative archaeological dig in which a matriarchal society is uncovered. The installation draws out connections between archaeology, history and fantasy. It is delivered in conjunction with an exhibition intervention within the permanent, local archaeological collection of the Corinium Museum, in Cirencester.

Almanac, film still