‘Treasure’, framed mixed media part of Sarah Cather’s ‘Objects of Intrigue’ collection.

Size: 65cm wide, 47cm tall, 6cm deep.

‘Treasure’ is a series of experiments responding to the objects in Sarah’s personal treasure chest. Upon researching for this piece, the same words kept coming up for her – Treasure, value, and precious. She began to consider what objects were most precious to her and what evoked feelings of awe. She curated a handful of objects which are particularly valuable to her and decided to respond to these.

The special thing about this project, is that most of these objects were collected long before she began her journey as an artist. She didn’t collect them with the intention of using them in her work and she never imagined she would. They were always far too precious.

About the maker:

Sarah Cathers is a mixed media artist from County Down. Since graduating in 2018, she has exhibited her work in Belfast, Lisburn, London, Cardiff, Manchester, Brighton and Liverpool. Driven by the process of fragmentation, Sarah approaches her practice as a modern day archaeologist.

Sarah describes herself as ‘a naturally curious collector with an urge to record and preserve the forgotten. Fascinated by adhesives and their ability to secure and fasten materials together, I focus on the binding capabilities of thread, using fibres to conceal and repair. I aim to preserve an objects history, acknowledging the past while recognising the potential to be something other than the original purpose.

I collect discarded objects, mending and combining materials to assemble small sculptures, juxtaposing the unlikely to create a tangible record of the environment and people. I curate objects of curiosity in ‘families’ based on an instinctive response or relationship between materials.’