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Body-in-Body of Water

Sarah Dixon

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Sarah Dixon is a British-Irish artist with an academic background in Biology and ethnobotany followed by a career in graphic design and marketing. She developed her socially engaged practice through MA Performance: Society at Central Saint Martins. Her practice-led work explores magic and ritual, embodiment, animism, natural ecologies, care, reproduction and relational culture.

Sarah Dixon is a British-Irish artist with an academic background in Biology and ethnobotan...

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Like a river, everything (and the human) is always and never the same

You can name me but I only am a pattern, a shape. We can’t be held - or only gently.

Watch the film here: https://vimeo.com/spidea/bodyinbody

This piece is an exploration of relationship-building between artist Sarah Dixon and the River Frome in Gloucestershire as "riverkin". Made as part of MA Performance: Society, Central Saint Martins UAL.

To watch this film it is recommended you use a large, full screen or projection, a dark space, and perhaps hide under a blanket or towel. CW - Content warning for survivors of water trauma (near drowning, injury, flood shock).

Immerse yourself and try not to understand.

Final work

Body-In-Body of Water

Like a river, everything (and the human) is always and never the same You can name me but I only am a pattern, a shape. We can’t be held - or only gently. To watch this film it is recommended you use a large, full screen or projection, a dark space, and perhaps hide under a blanket or towel. CW - Content warning for survivors of water trauma (near drowning, injury, flood shock). This piece is an exploration of relationship-building between artist Sarah Dixon and the River Frome in Gloucestershire, for MA Performance: Society, Central Saint Martins UAL. Immerse yourself and try not to understand. KEY SOURCES River Frome, Stroud Kate Dineen & Peruvian Q’ero Teachings and transmissions of nature energy and black light. Peer students, MA Performance: Society, Central Saint Martins, UAL CAMERA HANDLING Sarah Dixon Rob Clucas-Tomlinson Kirstie Clarke Matt Bigwood with GoPro camera SWIM COMPANIONS Annie Russell Kirstie Clarke ASSISTANCE & PRODUCTION Bella Dixon-Tomlinson, Adrian Leaman - riverside assistance Althea Wolfe - translation Jamaican patois James Harris - sources and information on the archaeology and ancient history of the Frome Citroen Berlingo - transport Roz Keep - sharing stories of connection with the River Nicola Haasz, Fleur Camille Pennington, Bliss Magdalena Qadesh - Cotswold River Goddess instruction, Stroud Goddess Temple PriestXess Training Year 1 Spiral ACADEMIC GUIDANCE Dr Anna Macdonald Dr Joanne “Bob” Whalley

Research and process

An abstract painting made using clay on a textured surface

Collecting clay from the river's source I made a painting on gessoed linen and then took the painting to the river to play.

underwater image showing a mirror surrounded by black velvet and a face glimpsed

Reflections underwater

I experimented with many ways of looking into, through and under the river, and giving glimpses of the body/face

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Body-in-Body of Water

Like a river, everything (and the human) is always and never the sameYou can name me but I only am a pattern, a shape. We can’t be held - or only gently.Watch the film here: <a href="https://vimeo.com/spidea/bodyinbod...

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