Untitled  Unlabelled

​​Artist statement (CultureCraft)
I was born in Derry. A descriptor that has become somewhat of a Shibboleth*. Assumptions will be formulated and applied consciously or otherwise. Being native to Northern Ireland and in particular of an age to be considered a 'child of the Troubles' one grew up with an inbuilt social barometer based on your upbringing. An undeniable trait of Northern Irish cultural behaviour is a dogged determination, on meeting someone for the first time, to pigeon-hole, label if you like. Labels are applied at a sub-conscious, unspoken level. We all do it, it's part of our collective genetic make-up one of those characteristics that unites the populace. The work Untitled/Unlabelled relies on this unique learned behaviour to engage the viewer in a social experiment. Given the choice, how would you label yourself? Is there an adequate or appropriate set of linguistic signifiers capable of the task? For many years the public service of Northern Ireland required potential employees to complete an equal opportunities questionnaire. For all intents and purposes, an official mechanism to 'pigeon-hole'. I have used this to identify descriptors that I have appropriated for this work This work questions the fundamental function of a specific jewellery type. Historically, the brooch embraced both form and function. Throughout the ages it has evolved and its format has been appropriated by various user-groups to fulfil a specific need i.e. recognition of military heroism or sporting prowess. Made from precious materials, it ultimately denotes status and/or wealth whilst in utilitarian form, it functions to identify, such as corporate pins or name badges. I have created a series of badges/pins using a nostalgic yet nonetheless effective label-making device. The choice of pin(s) lies with the wearer, an exercise in self-determination if you like. There is no criterion in place for judgment or analysis, simply recognition of difference at a micro level, often lost when tribal politics determines the macro characterisation. Inherent in this process is a fundamental question; just how comfortable are you 'wearing' your (cultural) identity...is it a badge of honour or unwelcome branding?

A shibboleth (/ˈʃɪbəlɛθ/[1] or /ˈʃɪbələθ/)[2] is a word, sound, or custom that a person unfamiliar with its significance may not pronounce or perform correctly relative to those who are familiar with it. It is used to identify foreigners or those who do not belong to a particular class or group of people. It also refers to features of language, and particularly to a word or phrase whose pronunciation identifies a speaker as belonging to a particular group.