Local artist Carys Tupper presented ‘Gestures of Anatomy (still life)’, a textile-based installation exploring regeneration, labour, and the visibility of artistic process. Using donated costume offcuts from local theatre groups and community members, the work balances tension and collapse, reflecting the transient nature of the body.
Drawing on the symbolic and sculptural language of drapery, the installation evokes the body and still life—moments of movement frozen in fabric. Central to the piece is the theme of regeneration—not just of materials but of meaning. By revealing fastenings, knots, and stitches, the installation celebrates labour made visible, highlighting the act of making as both political and poetic.
“I wanted the piece to feel almost musical in its rise and fall, like breath and the body—a continuous cycle of returning and renewal.” — Carys, Artist
About the artist
Carys Tupper is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice explores the ephemeral nature of the body as both site and vessel. She graduated from Arts University Bournemouth in 2024 with a degree in Fine Art. And has since exhibited across the UK in shows that highlight emerging voices in contemporary practice.
Recent exhibitions include ‘Never Made for Us’ at Safehouse 2, London—a feminist and intersectional investigation of labour, identity, and survival, and an ongoing collaboration with The National Portrait Gallery looking at Reynold’s painting ‘Portrait of Mai’, exploring themes of representation and identity.
For more, visit: www.carystupper.com
@carystupper on Instagram
With thanks to:
COS Musical Theatre for donating costumes and fabric from past productions.
Elaine Gornall, a dance dressmaker and artist, whose fabric offcuts were generously shared by her daughter, performer Tania Alboni. This inclusion honours Elaine’s creative legacy.
This exhibition was on display in the West Green Window from 12 June – 9 July 2025.
