Megan Knight

My practice revolves around exploring landscapes local to me and documenting my explorations of them through my delicate relationship with the landscape as a walker, combined with a research of their historical, ecological and folkloric curiosities. The work you see here is a part of an explorative oeuvre, combining my interests in wild swimming with local history by chasing ancient roots and ecology through photography, collecting artefacts, wool spinning, rituals, researching, swimming and mapping. I have been focused upon exploring a fascinating and tranquil area located between Bekesbourne and Littlebourne in Kent, wherein lies the ruins of a 13th Century Chapel which is set beside a large natural Spring that’s tucked away in some woodland. I made regular excursions to the area over a 2-month period where I would regularly swim, draw, collect artefacts, draw maps and participate in rituals relating to ancient pagan traditions, such as collecting May Water from the Spring and washing in the waters, as well as researching the local history of the Chapel including its prior use as a weaver’s hut and ancient traditions including Beltane rituals and Spring water’s mystical properties surrounding fertility. The work is evocative of my intimate relationship with the land and gives the audience an insight into my playful and explorative experiences of the place.

Within my practice, I attempt to create narratives of experiences through a variety of media such as film, photography, mapping, wool spinning and collecting artefacts ranging from found items to rubbings and observational maps and drawings. I use these mediums and methods as a way to create a bridge between my solitary experiences and my audience, and to document my collection of interests. I prefer hands-on materials and technologies such as analogue cameras where I am more involved in the process of creating the images. I aim to trace my presence within a landscape with strategies as subtle and ephemeral as my movement through it.

My literary and surrounding contextual interests include ecology, philosophy (such as phenomenology), and folkloric tales and traditions, through the works of artists, friends, authors and philosophers; such as Julia Blackburn, Roger Deakin, Ben Tufnell, Rebecca Solnit and Tacita Dean. I also refer to folkloric traditions, and opportunities for sharing knowledge, naturally exploring and learning through experience. The influences on my practice are reflective of my everyday interests and ideological positioning within the world.

You can follow my practice on Instagram @megansage_art