DEGREES UNEDITED

Carolyn Shepherd: H20 - NaCl

Carolyn Shepherd, 'H20 - NaCl', Salvaged industrial timber, terracotta, salt, test tubes, pond algae, dessicated seed head, glasses, June 2010. Photo: Carolyn Shepherd. Salt encrusted cabinet roughly constructed from timber salvaged from the roof of a salt works, stands ajar to reveal shelves with rusted hinged wooden books and terracotta salt pot encrusted with crystals spreading organically across the shelf. Below the cabinet is another rusted hinged wooden book - pages open inviting the reading of the surface of the wood. A pair of reading spectacles lies on the page as a trace of a readers human presence. A test tube rack contains water brine. Although the liquids lappear identicl, the water contains algae, whilst the brine, too strong to sustain life, contains a desiccated seed head.