clew

Part of The Ark, Wood Point Art Projects, 2019 / curated by John Haney

(n.) 1. a lower or after corner of a sail. 2. a ball of thread or yarn esp. with reference to the myth of Theseus, Ariadne, and the labyrinth.

(trans. verb) 1. (followed by up) draw the lower ends of a sail to the mast, ready for furling. 2. (followed by down) let down a sail by the clews in unfurling. 3. to roll into a ball 

From Old English cliwen, cleowen, denoting a rounded mass, or ball of thread. 

Clew references both its nautical and mythological senses. The white sail tied to the mast of a living tree alludes to the wooden planks that ships—and the Ark—were made of. A single string of red thread winds its way through the houses and forest, and anchors itself to the mast, providing bearings back home. This work also draws on Titian’s painting, Bacchus and Ariadne, where Ariadne, having just woken, reaches toward the horizon where Theseus’ ship is under full sail, having departed in the night. Clew references both the sails on the water, and how we can use the thread to find our way home.