The roots of Nicola Dales work are conceptual and the finished works are as organic as her working process. Growing slowly and patiently, formed without machinery or technology, becoming beautifully designed products almost accidentally. Her appreciation of the makeup of materials, the world and our own evolution is clear in every cut of her scissor. A love for not only the content of books but their physicality, the tea stains and notes on pages, take a new tact to comprehending history and through reading we can build knowledge and equally skewed perspectives through inevitable misunderstandings.

Her appropriation of paper and books manages to convey both how she feels about her position in the world, surrounded by this matter produced to inform us or even adorn our walls, such as woodchip wallpaper – long since dismissed as bad taste. Dale shows it has suprising potential to be visually stunning but its not a quick result, and she refuses to employ tools to speed the process so hand-colours every chip. A bookwork named ‘A Secret Heliotropism’ is a transformed history book into a plant, intricate foliage which turns towards the source of sunlight.

Dale values material objects, the physical sensation of existing and the total satisfaction of handmaking or improving something mundane and rewards us with a refreshing take on the typical.

Nicola Dales work is currently included in the group exhibition ‘Function’ at Bloc Projects, Sheffield until 17 September.

Jane Faram

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