Jennie and Oliver Jewitt-Harris: The Butterfly Ball

It is said in Mexican folklore that butterflies carry the souls or the spirits of the departed. This idea inspired Jennie Jewitt-Harris to create 'The Butterfly Ball' series of artworks in her studio in Swanpool. The Butterfly Ball is an imaginary event for inspiring women who are long departed. Each guest has been turned into a butterfly using paint and collage. Some of the butterflies are famous, others have achieved something extraordinary, and some have a great story to tell at the Ball. Guests include Frida Khalo, Josephine Baker, Anita Roddick, Maya Angelou, suffragette Florence Norman, a land girl, actress Clara Bow, artist Hannah Hoch, and nurses Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale.

Jennie is a doctor with a passion for art and has an MA and a recent PhD in Fine Art, creating artworks in any available spare time while running an international medical charity. She has previously exhibited in Falmouth and in London and has twice had artworks selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. 

While she usually exhibits at the Poly with her daughter, artist and local Potager potter Aimee, this time it is the turn of her son, sound designer Oliver Jewitt-Harris, who was inspired by these artworks and the women behind them to create a sound artwork of their recorded voices together with sounds that might be heard at the Ball (music, laughter and the beating of butterfly wings). Oliver has an MA in Sound Design for Film and Television and works on a variety of exhibited sound artworks as well as sound for film and gaming. 

www.jenniejh.co.uk 

www.jhsounddesign.com

Instagram: @jenniejh

Twitter: @jjewittharris

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The Butterfly Ball:  

Exhibition open: Tuesday 21st September to Saturday 25th September, 10.00am–5.00pm.

Private View: Tuesday 21st September, 5.00-7.00pm

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