jacqueline bradley

Catalogue Essay - Aimee Frodsham

In this installation, the works act as a root system planting themselves within the gallery, spreading in many directions as they lead the viewer through the space. The story starts in late summer and continues through into early spring to complete a single seasonal cycle. Bradley uses the peach and other stone fruit as a symbol to consider the phases of growing, feeding, and rotting.

The story of the peach can be traced back to 1,000 BC, originating from China where they grew as a wild fruit, then spreading to Persia where they begin to be cultivated. After Persia was invaded by Alexander the Great, seeds were taken to Europe where orchards began to thrive. Peaches were believed to be introduced into Australia in 1890 where they grew from farm gardens on stolen land. This rich and complex history provides an insight into the many layers of meaning embedded in this symbolic fruit. This tree has traversed continents for thousands of years. It is cultivated to create a fruit that can bruise and be gone within days.

Bradley’s choice of multiple materials in this exhibition refers to these multifaceted narratives. By making the objects human-scale, the viewer is able to relate their own experiences to the work. Mirroring the principles of a tree producing fruit and seeds, Bradley's pieces are made through the process of casting or moulding which allows for duplication. Within her making process she considers the body as a mould for producing, in the same way that each seed holds a blueprint for a future plant.

The tender refers to flesh both human and fruit, engaging our senses of sight, smell, and touch. This bodily association provides links not only to fertility but also how we experience beauty, kindness, and pleasure.

This new body of work was developed as part of the Artist in Residence program at Canberra Glassworks in 2021-22, which is supported by the Australia Council for the Arts. All glass works were developed with assistance from Canberra Glassworks artists.

Above - the tender, installation view from Gallery 1, Canberra Glassworks

Above: Rings, Pulled glass rings, timber, steel, 80 × 75 × 34cm, 2022. Installation view - Canberra Glassworks.

Photograph: Brenton McGeachie

Below: Halves, Blown and stamped glass, timber, concrete step, peach stone, 25 × 110 × 30cm, 2022. Installation view - Canberra Glassworks.

Above: Stamps, Bronze, linen, timber, thread, 103 × 40 × 7cm, 2022.

Below: Two Stones, Cast glass, steel brackets, 42 × 5 × 10cm, 2022.