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Image: Filippa Dobson. The First Cut. August 2017.
The Talking Stone Exhibition - finding meaning in the landscape of Ilkley Moor, is on display at Ilkley Manor House between February 17 and 25.
The Talking Stone exhibition represents the artist, Filippa Dobson's, quest to find meaning in the landscape of Ilkley Moor. The work shown reflects the transformation of a prehistoric carved rock (The Badger Stone) into artist books, prints, photography, projection, land art and film.
Mapping a five-year exploration on the Moor, the exhibition fosters new encounters with the mysterious and enigmatic Badger Stone and documents four major performance/installation pieces on the Moor, The Lying Stanes (2013), Ad/dressing the Stone (2013) Talking Stone (2015) and The First Cut (2016).
A playful and imaginative conversation ensues between the visitor, the exhibition and the archaeological record that is housed within the Ilkley Manor House. The focus of the exhibition is the Badger Stone which is an earth fast reddish-brown rock over three metres long and over one metre tall incised with concentric circles and intersecting grooves.
Reminiscent of the Uluru (Ayers Rock) circle paintings, the carvings have been interpreted as universal symbols giving the rocks and wider landscape a spiritual or sacred significance. The exact meaning of the circles is unknown. By striving to embrace the ancient traditions of mark making and circle making, the artist revitalises the distinctive relationship between humans and the marked rocks that has persisted for millennia.
By gifting art work to the Ilkley Community, the symbolism persists and reclaims a small fragment of the heritage landscape as contemporary public art.
Filippa Dobson is an PhD Researcher within the School of Design, University of Leeds and an exhibiting artist on Ilkley's Art Trail.
The exhibition will be open at the following times:
Saturday 17 10 am – 4pm.
Sunday 18 10 – 1pm.
Monday 19 10am – 4pm.
Tuesday 2012 midday – 4pm.
Wednesday 21 10 am – 4pm.
Thursday 22 12 mid-day – 4pm.
Friday 23 12 mid-day – 4pm.
Saturday 24 10 -4pm.
Sunday 25 mid-day– 4pm.