Leicester artist to reveal new animal bone artwork

A distinctive bone-themed exhibition named ‘The Reliquary Project’, conceptualised and created by Leicester artist Jo Dacombe, will be unveiled at a free preview evening at the Attenborough Arts Centre from 5.30pm to 8pm on Friday 6 May.

The new project, which began in September 2014, will be one of four displays revealed on the night. All exhibitions hosted by the Attenborough Arts Centre are free to attend.

Jo Dacombe collaborated with the Bone Laboratory in the School of Archaeology and Ancient History during her residency to explore the thinking behind the theories archaeologists used to describe past animal and human relationships based on bone fragments retrieved during expeditions.

By actively participating in archaeological outings, working in the Bone Lab alongside the archaeologists and learning from them Jo became increasingly fascinated with themes inspired by animal bones and skeletons. These experiences helped to create this new body of work by exploring small and large-scale sculptures, drawings, photographs, scans, X-rays and mechanical devices.

This vision has taken inspiration from a medieval fascination for displaying the bones of saints in boxes which would be seen as relics.

Jo said: “The amazing world of bones and the many ways we can think about them. I have learnt so much from the archaeologists at the University of Leicester about how they study bones and what they can determine from them, as well as the beauty of bones themselves as organic, sculptural objects. I hope that my exhibition will inspire people to look at bones as the fascinating things that they are.”  

Jo’s gallery space, which will be on show until Sunday 3 July, will include archaeological bones which people can observe, touch and create their own temporary sculptures from.