Hidden Door

Jill Martin Boualaxai

Visual Art

Working across mediums, contexts and subject matter Jill’s work is rooted in the fundamentals of archeological storytelling and the myths and actualities that pervade abandoned and derelict spaces. A testimony to ideas of permanence and impermanence Jill’s recent work has cross-referenced historical engravings of the Leith Docks with site-specific drawing. Working with historical  and archeological material, Jill forays into creating installations responding to vulnerable and disused sites has seen her involved, artistically, with Hidden Door since its inception in 2010. Turning back to the present, for 2019, Jill will present works new works  from a series entitled ‘Ghost Lines’ first shown at Hidden Door 2018.

Ghost Lines 2018

Referencing an old map of the Leith Docks dating to 1870  ‘Ghost Lines’ was a site-specific drawing created using experimental processes on copper sheeting.  The drawing marks were created using substances that caused weathering and patination on the surface of the metal.  Objects were dipped into the various substances and left to do the magic.

Constructed from one thousand nine hundred and forty-six tiny copper squares, each was individual cut and then sewn together using copper wire to form a two-meter square net.  The work was exhibited as part of the 2018 HiddenDoor Festival. 

 

Fossil – The Basement of The Leith Theatre – Hidden Door Festival 2017

Fossil was a sculptural installation created from salvaged fragments of an 80s supercomputer.  Moulds were created from the chunky cable connectors from a Storagetek Tape Carousel dating to the 1980s and then hundreds of plaster replicas were cast.   Each of the individual casts were painted with glow in the dark pigments.  They were then constructed to echo the shape of the Tape Carousel.   

The work emitted an eerie glow and the viewer felt as though they were stumbling upon the excavation of an ancient site and a fossilised computer.

 

E.R.R.R. (EJECT RELOAD REWIND REPLAY) King Stables Road – Hidden Door 2016

A light reactive drawing and multimedia installation within an 80s supercomputer (Storagetek Tape Carousel) The work incorporated collage, fluorescent printing inks, found objects, light, video and sound

The Space in Between – Boiler Room Installation at King Stables Road –  Hidden Door Festival 2015

Glass sculpture created in the window of a disused boiler room, making use of the changing light throughout the day. Constructed with found glass, which were collaged with discarded maps and architectural drawings from the 1990s  and suspended within old window hoppers. 

2014 Spadework – The Vaults, Hidden Door 2014

Installation drawing combining archaeological reference with visual imagery found objects and interwoven with the aural history of discovered memories through text and sound installation.