The Light from the Bluebird

Charlotte Dunn

“The symbol of a bluebird is the harbinger of happiness and hope in many cultures that date back thousands of years. Through bringing the light to the form of the bluebird as it emerges within my drawing, I hope to show it will get lighter from here.”

Charlotte's proposal

The symbol of a bluebird is the harbinger of happiness and hope in many cultures that dates back thousands of years. From Chinese folklore to Russian fairy tales and even within our own culture, the song of a bluebird brings new beginnings and a sense of hope. Within her drawing practice Charlotte creates detailed drawings on clear surfaces aiming to mimic the way in which magic lantern slides were created. These drawings reveal new discoveries and knowledge by shining light through them. Utilising the juxtaposition of the title ‘It gets lighter from here’ and the symbol of the harbinger of happiness and hope, the blue bird, Charlotte plans to create an animation of the revealing of a drawing of a bluebird as light shines through, creating an illumination of hope.

About the artist

Charlotte aims to question and transform traditions that form the way we analyse and comprehend our environment, concentrating on the idea of manipulating the idea of our historical quest for knowledge. The power that tools of presentation have to alter the context of a subject inspires Charlotte to transform objects, taking inspiration from the magic lantern and how light is used to manipulate an image to inform. Drawing is an essential medium within Charlotte's practice. Methods of scientific illustration create a foundation for Charlotte to distort, commenting upon their purpose to educate. The illustrative quality that underlies Charlotte's work, takes references from formal methods used within scientific illustration, adopting highly accurate techniques of drawing.