SARA TRILLO

Nether

A series of hanging and wearable structures inspired by descending into and ascending from two dene holes in February 2024.

I went with Pete and John from Kent Underground Research Group who monitor hibernating bats. We saw two whiskered bats and three Daubentons: also a Herald moth and cave spiders. There were the bones of a decomposing hare in the first dene hole and John told me that in the past he has rescued animals from dene holes including a terrier, a polecat, a hare, two rabbits, and many amphibians including a natterjack toad which survived a 50 feet drop.

The Nether work was shown in "Wasteless 2" at Way Out East, UEL Docklands. It was inspired by the safety harness I wore in the first dene hole which saved me, as I fell off the caving ladder during my climb out. The soft ladder and gloves represent how ineffectual I felt wearing ill fitting equipment and being unable to ascend the ladder without swaying violently and panicking. The Grill Tower is a wearable piece (to be photographed as a wearable sculpture soon) which mimics looking up a shaft towards the bat grill at the top. The other harnesses reference mine, and mythological, journeys into the underworld. All the work is hand sewn with the textiles dyed with pomegrantes (referencing Persephone) or oak gall (referencing Aeneas/The Golden Bough), and the structures covered with recycled fleece.