Born in Northumberland, Sean Alec Auld’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in the landscape of North-East England. His practice draws heavily on his experience with raw materials, and interests in mythology, archetypal symbolism and animism, to explore connectivity in a fragmented world.
In his Ginnungagap, on display as part of Earth Unwrapped, Auld blends industrial and natural elements to create a work as much about place and history as it is about form and materials. “As I see it,” says Auld, “the presence of this stone is a nod towards the connections between our two shores which has brought great change, upheaval and transformation to the region, through both trades and tradition.” From this local connection, Sean considers the history of Larvikite through Norse mythology; Ginnungagap refers to part of the Norse creation myth. Central to Auld’s work is the way in which he considers their existence as living materials, shaped by geological and human histories alike.