THE GILDED FLEECE draws inspiration from the theme of the Golden Fleece, one of the oldest myths of a hero’s journey: the quest of a young man and his crew to find the unthinkable, a magical golden fleece guarded by mythical creatures. The driven, singular pursuit for one thing or experience is familiar to all; the thirst to procure a valued material that is desperately needed in order to maintain power, status, wealth, and desire, at all costs. The willingness to embark on such a journey to the unknown exposes oneself to the elements, laying bare the soft belly.

The work is composed of twelve tanned skins of adult Awassi sheep that were cut rectilinearly and connected industrially with an accordion stitch. The reticular side of this composition of sheep skins is prepared and lathered with the refined collagen of rabbit, otherwise known as rabbit glue, in preparation to adopt a thin layer of 24 karat gold leaf, handled and positioned using a series of brushes made of horse and squirrel hair.   Exposing the sheep, the rabbit, the house and the squirrel in the process.

Final image by Edmund Summer