The cabinet of curiosities: New materialities, narratives and storytelling across cultures

Parraman, Carinna; Clarke, Laura; White, Michael

Abstract

Printmaking is often referred to as a democratic visual medium (Roberts, 2024; Jones, 2024), as an opportunity for making creative connections, addressing complex subjects, as an effective tool for social engagement (Georgieva, 2023; Raczek-Karcz, 2023), for community activism (Phillips, 2015) and political change (Hickman, 2021; Macphee, 2010). Made for mass distribution, through its many technological revolutions and developments over the centuries print has played a unique role throughout history, recording and disseminating information (Coldwell, 2010; Platzker & Wyckoff, 2000). As the National Academy for Social Prescribing highlights, participating in physical making and creative practices positively impacts mental well-being. Printmaking—accessible to all, collaborative, inclusive, sociable, and community-driven—provides a platform for diverse voices, cultural expression, and social commentary (Frimodig, 2015).

The Cabinet of Curiosities is the culmination of a 3-year artist in a residency programme; the results are rich and layered and demonstrate a varied account of human experience and the narratives that each artist has to tell. These narratives talk of human history, migration and epic journeys, visibility and invisibility, and acts of violence in the context of "postcolonial" spaces. It also highlights the loss of landscape and ecology, listening to the sonic landscape and patterns in nature and paying attention to the detail of what lies beneath our feet. It also dives deep into our bodies and hearts, considers loss and grief, and questions who we are.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: IMPACT
• Start Date: Oct 9, 2025
• End Date: Oct 12, 2025
• Acceptance Date: Apr 13, 2025
• Deposit Date: Apr 25, 2025
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14328339