Sarah Davis, a graduate from the Art School’s BA Historic Carving course, recently appeared on BBC Radio 6 Music, talking about her sound-art project Day Zero.
Based in part on Sarah’s undergraduate dissertation for the carving course, Day Zero is sound and word exploration of Sarah’s personal experience having treatment for cancer. This informed both her innovative carving work on the studio course and led to a new area of artistic activity, semi-autobiographical writing and audio art. Working with experimental musician, Edward Simpson and others, Sarah produced a piece that was broadcast in August 2021 on the BBC Radio 6 Music show, BBC Introducing Arts.
Described by presenter Huw Stephens as “deeply moving” the work involves spoken words and recordings made by Sarah of the sounds she heard while undergoing treatment in hospital.
According to Sarah, “When you go through an experience that is so life changing it’s quite hard to slip back into your old routine and your old way of making. For me, reclaiming that creativity came about through writing.” This she describes in part as being “cathartic”.
A recording of Sarah’s interview and the audio-art piece she made can be found on the BBC Radio Sounds App at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000yddc
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Sarah Davis in her carving studio.
Sarah Davis, ‘Octopus’, 2021, Limewood.
Sarah Davis, ‘Pill Cup’, 2019, Sterling silver.