GAYNOR PERRY

Thursday 28 September 2023

Saint Dymphna's Medicine

composed, performed, produced & mixed by © ℗ Gaynor Perry

An act of kindness

What is you

What is me

Lost empress

Decipher her language

Slipping in and out of consciousness

Medicine

Saint Dymphna's Medicine

Illegible handwriting

Eerily crossing out

The art of persuasion

Bending and flexing

And pushing and pulling

Medicine

Saint Dymphna's Medicine

An admission of guilt

Was it you

Was it me

Swallowed whole

By voluminous nights

Medicine

Saint Dymphna's Medicine

They keep trying to trick me

They keep trying to scare me

I'm cavorting with wild bears

Embracing the chaos

Medicine

Saint Dymphna's Medicine

7th century Irish princess Dymphna was fifteen years old when her own father, the Pagan King Damon, drew his sword and beheaded her because she refused to marry him after her mother’s death. So the legend goes. She had escaped the King’s horrendous advances by fleeing to Geel with her confessor priest, two trusted servants and the King’s fool. You can read more about Dymphna elsewhere, she's the patron saint of mental disorders.

While I was incubating this piece, the component parts assembled themselves like one of those push up puppets - and there was Dymphna. I wanted to create a sanctuary. Somewhere soothing, benevolent and hopeful.

There is of course much more to say, but you can always watch and listen.

Cover photo (GP)

Millpond, St Helen's Church, Welton, East Yorkshire

Thanks for visiting!

Friday 26 May 2023

Eagles, Primates

written, performed, produced & mixed by Gaynor Perry

Friday 10 February 2023

The Old Ruins of Helen de Helen

The Old Ruins of Helen de Helen
h61 x w61 x d1cm, oil on board

The Old Ruins of Helen de Helen (detail)

Monday 24 October 2022

Untangle

written, performed, produced & mixed by Gaynor Perry

I held you close, I let you go

Catching spiders in a glass

They mapped the contours of my face

During the night

While sleep washed my raven heart

Lily white

I held you dear

I let you disappear like dandelion seeds

On a single breath

It’s for the best

We were enmeshed

My life is small

It’s like a prayer

I’ll walk barefoot down to the sea

We toil, toil, toil, toil, toil

And then we will be free

So please untangle me

I held you close, I let you go

Watching spiders in a glass

I hope you found somewhere sublime

To spin your webs

And your heart is overflowing

With happiness

I held you dear

I let you disappear like diamond dust

Do you know where you are

In relation to the sun and the moon

And the earth

My life is small

It’s like a prayer

I’ll walk barefoot down to the sea

We toil, toil, toil, toil, toil

And then we will be free

When you untangle me

Current Releases

Tuesday 26 July 2022

Artificial Intelligence

Film, photography & concept by Gaynor Perry

with

Grethe Mangala Jensen

Deborah Griffin

Music

written & performed by Gaynor Perry

produced & performed by Noko 440

Grethe enters a state of hypnagogic consciousness

as she drowses on the branch of a fallen laurel tree.

Deborah Griffin

Grethe Mangala Jensen

In these hours

(soh)

batteries and hazel eyes

Without careful aim

we're blown

without careful aim

we’re here now

(toad)

Albion drawn in the ground

with a gemstone

a coiled shell

You are young

unbelieving

To live or grow

like Turing

an opponent

(soh)

We're here

so grow

You are young

Gaynor Perry

Norman Fisher-Jones aka Noko 440

The day after we finished filming I walked back to the location and discovered this animal spine (above) strewn across my path. On closer inspection it may be a badger spine. There were no other bones nearby. Naturally, I reflected on how it got there. Did a dog or a fox dig it up and drag it there? What a mysterious offering.

The imagery for this body of work began with a photograph of Grethe resting on the branch of a fallen laurel tree. And now I can see a vine climbing one of the limbs, on the right-hand side, looking quite spine-like.

While this strange and timely motif seems integral to the piece, I don't have an explanation. Other than the spirit in which we approached creating this. A profound sense of the sacred spaces of our landscape and nature within, perhaps resonated somehow in the labyrinthian old heart of the land.

Who knows.

Digby - farewell to this ethereal boy who departed for his next great adventure a month after taking this photo.

Thanks for visiting!

Thursday 7 July 2022

Her Ensemble ft. Bishi

I had the great pleasure of photographing Her Ensemble recently. Formed by violinist Ellie Consta, they are the UK's first women and non-binary string orchestra creating stunning performances. This one featuring wonderful Bishi with lighting design by Belinda Best.