Beauty Cleanses the Mind
2020
My response to the first lockdown was to ask – how could I help? Flowers seemed important given their role in challenging times. This led to research on the hidden meanings of flowers which was used historically as a way to send coded messages. In response I created a series of small bouquets using flowers found in my garden. Over six weeks I made six bouquets and took six shots of each using a 1970’s Polaroid camera. These photos were then offered weekly (on a first come first served basis) across my networks and sent for free to a nominated recipient. I posted them with an accompanying letter explaining the gift, the name of their nominator and the flowers meanings. I sent these gifts to people’s isolated parents, front line workers, missed friends and sad children.
The six bouquets were:
White Lilac and Forget-me-nots: Innocence and Remembrance
Cornflowers and Periwinkles: Hope and Good memories
Pink Roses and Honesty: Devotion and Honesty
Clematis and Gorse: Ingenuity and Industriousness
Poppies and Lavender: Peace/Remembrance and Silence
Peonies, Rose and Aqualija: Good Fortune, Love and Resurrection
