Udders
1992–95
Virgin Shroud, 1993, Cowhide, muslin, silk satin and metal stand
Amazon, 1992, Cow skin, teat and tailor's dummy
Stillhettos, 1994, Shoes and cow's teats
Bust, 1993, Cow's udder and tailor's dummy
Spurs, 1993, Boots, cow's teat and string
Freud's Couch, 1993, Wood, cow skin and Waterford Crystal Glass
Freud's Couch (detail), 1993
Lay Your Head Upon my Pillow, 1993, Pillow, velvet and cow's udder [Background]
Mine, 1993, Wooden box and cow's udder [Foreground]
Ladle, 1993, Silver-plated ladle and cow's teat
Croquet, 1994, Croquet set and cow udders
Croquet (detail), 1994
Ironing Board I, 1993, Wooden ironing board and cow's udder
Carved in Stone, 1993, Carved granite, cow's teat and elastic
Shuttlecock, 1993, Shuttlecock and cow's teat
Rugby Ball, 1994, Cow's udder and rugby ball
Bull's Eye, 1992, Dartboard, cow's teat and darts
White, 1992, Cow skin and teats
Saddle, 1993, Saddle, cow's udder and metal
Lifebuoy, 1993, Lifebuoy and cow's udder
Vaulting Horse, 1992, Wood, cow skin with udder, and saddle
Pointing the Finger, Cibachrome print
Udder Bench, 1991, Wooden bench, cowhide and cow's udder
Balls, 1993, Cow's teat on balls
Lay Your Head Upon my Pillow, 1993, Pillow, velvet and cow's udder
Milking Stool, 1995, Stool and cow's udder
Dishes,, 1994, Enamel dish set and cup with cow's teat
Udder Chair, 2005, antique sugán chair and cows udder
Udder Stool, 1996, Stool and cow's udder
In a small folk museum in Norway there is a sieve that is made from the udder of a cow, an object both utilitarian and surreal. Inspired by this, the series of udders ran from 1992–1995. The udders were sourced from abattoirs where animals were being killed for the leather industry. It necessitated the cows being skinned upside down to preserve the udder which is normally discarded. The teats in isolation were both tragic and powerful. When dried they hardened and presented a phallic contrast to the vulnerable milk-giving teat .
The central works of this series were Amazon and Virgin Shroud.
Amazon: A tailor’s dummy covered with cow skin had one large teat protruding from an enlarged ‘breast’. The title Amazon referred to undiscovered territory and also referenced the mythological Amazonian warriors who removed one breast to enable shooting their bows and arrows more accurately. Virgin Shroud is a tall, statuesque figure with a cowskin that drapes down from the four teats placed on the head. The torn skin is lined with silk which came from a grandmother’s wedding train. The title references virginity and the shrouding of death.
Some exhibition highlights from this series included:
Croquet, Frith Street Gallery, London, 1994
A set of croquet hoops were set into the floor of the gallery. Mallets lay against the walls as if mid-game. A set of four small balls participated, each covered in cow skin with one teat. A larger ball, complete with four teats, sat to the side - it was too large to fit through the hoops. The teats on the smaller balls fit through the hoops but their teats caused disruption when rolled. The game of croquet originated in France, then became popular in the big houses of Ireland before becoming the favoured game in English gardens.
Bad Girls, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, 7 October – 5 December, 1993 and Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, 29 January 1994 – 12 March 1994
Fetishism – Visualising Power and Desire, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Brighton, 29th April – 2nd July 1995
Venice Biennale 1992
The first artists chosen to represent Ireland in Venice in over thirty years, Amazon and Virgin Shroud were shown along with one photograph of a burning car by Willie Doherty. Their works were located at the back of the Giardini in Venice and copies of the photograph were posted up throughout the back-alleys of Venice for the duration of the Biennale.
List of works (click to expand)
Virgin Shroud, 1993, Cowhide, muslin, silk satin and metal stand 201 x 81 x 120 cm
Amazon, 1992, Cow skin, teat and tailor's dummy, 160 x 36 x 40 cm
Stillhettos, 1994, Shoes and cow's teats, 25 x 8 x 10 cm
Bust, 1993, Cow's udder and tailor's dummy, 71 x 38 x 30.5 cm
Spurs, 1993, Boots, cow's teat and string, 28 x 14 x 16 cm
Freud's Couch, 1993, Wood, cow skin and Waterford Crystal Glass, 197 x 131 x 238 cm
Lay Your Head Upon my Pillow, 1993, Pillow, velvet and cow's udder, 44 x 83 x 21 cm
Mine, 1993, Wooden box and cow's udder, 32 x 37 x 37 cm
Ladle, 1993, Silver-plated ladle and cow's teat, 32 x 10 cm
Croquet, 1994, Croquet set and cow udders Dimensions variable
Ironing Board I, 1993, Wooden ironing board and cow's udder, 110 x 30 cm
Carved in Stone, 1993, Carved granite, cow's teat and elastic, 30 x 35 cm
Shuttlecock, 1993, Shuttlecock and cow's teat, 19 x 14 x 10 cm
Rugby Ball, 1994, Cow's udder and rugby ball, 30 x 18 cm
Bull's Eye, 1992, Dartboard, cow's teat and darts, 46 x 8 x 5 cm
White, 1992, Cow skin and teats, 234 x 266 cm
Saddle, 1993, Saddle, cow's udder and metal, 118 x 56 x 56 cm
Lifebuoy, 1993, Lifebuoy and cow's udder, 90 x 12 cm
Vaulting Horse, 1992, Wood, cow skin with udder, and saddle, 132 x 143 x 71 cm
Pointing the Finger, Cibachrome print
Udder Bench, 1991, Wooden bench, cowhide and cow's udder, 91.5 x 45 x 24 cm
Balls, 1993, Cow's teat on balls, 10 x 13 cm (each)
Milking Stool, 1995, Stool and cow's udder, 32.5 x 26 cm
Dishes, 1994, Enamel dish set and cup with cow's teat, Dimensions variable
Udder Chair, 2005, antique sugán chair and cows udder, 83 x 47 x 47 cm
Udder Stool, 1996, Stool and cow's udder, 57 x 30 cm