Water Babies: Series 1

The work of Water-Babies, which is a series, is made using handmade paper. The idea of this piece exposes the vulnerability and innocence of these fragile, genderless children in a graduated installation. The large piece is ‘degradé’, shaded colours from white to navy blue. These shades of degradation are part of our disconnection and our losses of nature and water quality. The tactile nature of the handmade paper demonstrates its haptic quality, revealing that life itself is fragile. The models are light and hollow, in subtle different shades, encompassing the ideas of water-babies being innocent and good. In some ways, the piece pays homage to Charles Kingsley’s fairy tale book, ‘The Water Babies,’ a fairy story about life and death. There are many ways in which to interpret the piece, and being able to almost touch the babies, gives us hope for the future.