I finished proofing a new Juliet print recently. This one is called ‘Juliet, From my Lips’ It’s an original photo etching, in an edition of 20. It’s the next in the series of Shakespeare prints, measuring 42 x 52 cm and printed from two copper plates.
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My new Shakespeare Prints were shown at the Bankside Gallery in July in an Exhibition, Shakespeare: A Celebration. If you missed the show you can see a short film about it by clicking the link below. The film was made by Right Angle.
Here are the first two finished photo etchings, each an edition of 20. One is titled Palm to Palm, Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene One. The other one is called The Bewildered World, Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act Two, Scene One. They will be part of a collaborative exhibition with the Globe Theatre and the RE and RWS, Shakespeare: A Celebration at the Bankside Gallery from the 30th June until the 10th July.
Yesterday, I had a wonderful time photographing and filming Shakespearean actor, Nadia Nadarajah with Zoe Hackett interpreting again. Nadia performed some of Titania, from a Midsummer’s Night Dream, which she has played with the theatre company Definitely Theatre at the Globe in 2012 and 2014. She explained that Shakespeare is ideally suited to the Deaf language because of the visual metaphors he uses
Had a very rewarding photo shoot a couple of weeks ago with the talented deaf actress Zoe McWhinney assisted by BSL interpreter Zoe Hackett. We convened at the Siobhan Davies Dance studios in Southwark, on a beautiful sunlit morning.McWhinney performed three Shakespearean extracts from the roles of Juliet, Cordelia and Miranda. I’m taking time to sift through all the photos before deciding which ones to work on with photo montage to take through into photo etching.
The Idea2016 commemorates 400 years since the death of Shakespeare giving rise to a whole host of special exhibitions and events throughout the country. The Bankside Gallery will be showing an exhibition of Shakespeare inspired prints in June made by members of the RE, (the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers).
This subject appeals to me and I decided at the beginning of the year to make a series of prints using deaf actors or models performing extracts of Shakespeare roles.
My first model was Phyllisha Johnson, a partially hearing lady who takes part in church worship, sometimes using BSL and SignDance. I asked Phyllisha to sign one of Portia’s speeches from the Merchant of Venice. Portia assumes the role of a lawyer’s apprentice to deliver this speech and dresses accordingly.
“The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath; it is twice blest, It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes………’
I hired a tudor woman’s costume to photograph, to add to the image, to represent Portia’s hidden identity. I’ve had fun arranging the costume in various ways……..
and trying various ideas for incorporating all the different elements…………
margaret ashman projects 