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Big Cook, Little Cook

These works are inspired by the game snakes and ladders, in which the ladders help you climb to points of success within the game. Irwin references ladders a lot in her work, using them as a symbol to reference positivity. Their playful form encourages the viewer to feel like they want to interact with the ladders, but the fact that they can't be touched creates tension between the work and the audience. There are engravings of symbols from Irwin's language on the ladders to bring personality to the ladders but also to reference the printmaking technique of engraving. The ladders look like different sections that have been put together, referencing how a jigsaw works. Alice sees jigsaws as a reference to life, for example, how things in life combine and grow together.

2018

engraved ply

015

Images & text © Alice Irwin

'Big Cook' measures 90 x 150 cm; 'Little Cook' is 66 x 110 cm