Das Unheimliche

Rosina Godwin

The Forest In folklore, forests blur the

boundary between fantasy and

reality, and represent a world

of mystery and enchantment,

where strange metamorphoses

occur and unusual creatures

reside.

 

The forest appears as a benign

one moment, before suddenly

transforming into a dark,

foreboding place, capable of

swallowing-up all who enter. 

Kevin(2011)Yarn, latex, found object and modroc

The Hand (2008)Latex, animal hair and lace

In this series, the forest becomes a metaphoric landscape to explore

the hidden depths of the unconscious.

The toys are naive, yet uninhibited by social morality, as they

metamorphosis into perverse forms, representing the normally

restrained urges contained within the unconscious psyche.

The normally comforting persona of toys is rendered uncanny, with the

addition of teeth or the absence of a head, while their uninhibited desires, have allowed them to

interbreed and create bizarre hybrids or transmute into the forms of

internal organs.

Dog-baby (2008)Latex, found objects, fleece and modroc

Baby I(2009)Latex, found objects, animal hair

and modroc

Baby II(2009)Latex, wool, modroc and animal hair

The pieces take inspiration from Sigmund Freud’s essay, The Uncanny (1919), where ‘das heimliche’ (the canny) refers to something that is homely and friendly, while ‘das

unheimliche’ (the uncanny) implies an uncomfortable or alien, object

or experience.

The uncanny has a second layer of meaning, when a once well-known

object is forgotten and subsequently rediscovered – this transports the uncanny, from the familiar to the frightening.

Jessica(2009)Latex, found object and animal fibre

Dolly(2009)Latex, found object and

human hair

Jessica(2009)Found object and thread

Intestine Baby(2010)Yarn and latex

Intestine Baby II (2010)Yarn, latex, and animal hair

  rosina.godwin1@btinternet.comwww.rosinagodwin.com

   

  

All images and text ©Rosina Godwin 2014