Behind the Curtain I 2014

Behind the Curtain I was inspired by childhood memories of playing hide and seek behind the curtain. The installation recreated this in between space, which enables children to peer into the warmth which contains protection of the adults inside the house. Whilst at the same time experiencing the cold, scary outside world behind them. The spray paint on the canvas represents lights from the streets shining onto the lining on the back of curtains - with grey paint representing the dust that has settled in the folds of the curtain.

This simple cloth folded with added colour has gone through a transition during the creative process to become a universal curtain and can represent any curtain that has ever existed or will exist in the future. Curtains are used by humans in practical situations often ones of intimacy, times of stress, pain and also joy. It becomes possible for Behind the Curtain I to represent an eternal curtain to become a portal into the human soul evoking a multitude of memories of the past and present and looking forward all at the same time.

This installation was part of Walker's research for a Master Research degree at Birkbeck 2015. Her research included Deleuze’s theories of the fold and the ideas in Balzac’s short story “Sarrasine”.

Download a PDF of the dissertation: Behind the Curtain (7MB)

Colour Between the Folds is a short story inspired by Behind the Curtain I by Mark Say

Download a PDF of the complete Story (95KB)

Images of installation available as digital prints A3 size £95