Everything and nothing
2007
Collected dust, paper, glue and varnish
Dimensions variable
Photo: Joe Clark

Commissioned by the V&A, London as part of the exhibition Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft
Budget : £10000 all inclusive

Everything and nothing was produced as part of the exhibition Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft. The brief was to make a work that responded to the history, building and collections of the museum.

The final work involved the creation of a William Morris wallpaper pattern called ‘Marigold, that hung in several of the galleries in the early museum, as a backdrop to the displays. The pattern was made using dust collected by the cleaners of the museum, the dust was flocked onto paper, and varnished before the different elements of the pattern were cut out by hand. These elements were then assembled in situ to create the final work.

During my research, I became increasingly interested in ideas around conservation, and how the museums role is to preserve objects, to prevent and stop the effects of the passing of time, to in effect make time stand still. Armies of people are involved in this process, which is invisible to the viewing public. The work sought to make this labour visible and valuable, by using the dust collected by the cleaners and making it into an artwork.