HOOTY

2012

Commissioned piece for Wirksworth Festival.

Running for over 20 years, Wirksworth Festival has become one of the most vibrant showcases for contemporary art that you’ll find in rural England. Wirksworth and its surrounds have a unique character and situation, positioned at the meeting point between rural and urban, agricultural and industrial, ancient and contemporary.

For this commission Smith worked with her love of the scallop developing it from a mere decorative edge into a component from which to construct sensual sculptural forms.

During the three weeks of their residence in St Mary’s the three beings witnessed: worship, weddings, orchestral rehearsals and and the ancient ceremony of the Clipping the Church.

Later in 2013 Smith took Hooty to Scunthorpe; the resulting photograph, Hooty with Steelworks has since been exhibited nationally  and was selected by Richard Wentworth for Wells Art Contemporary 2013.