Inhabiting spirits have been an integral part of numerous belief systems, in some they were protectors, guardian angels, in others malicious spirits that entered the body and would cause madness and illness if not exorcised. In spiritualism, souls are thought to be of no less real substance than the material body. In other disciplines, such as Reiki, each person is believed to have an aura that is coloured and can be “read” and interpreted based on the strength and hue of the halo.
For Ghostly Portraits, Balaeva set out to investigate how people interpret these multiple beliefs and superstitions by asking them to draw their inhabiting spirit. They have a large sheet of paper to sketch their spirit in any shape and size they wish. Their portrait is then drawn on the same page from life to attempt to join the two images into a single interactive one. Portraits are drawn in graphite and the spirits with the background in colour pencils.
Join us for an informal launch in the bar from 18:00 on Thu 6 March.
All work is for sale, please speak to Box Office staff for information.
Cornerhouse Projects is supported by Outstanding Brewery