An alchemist at heart, MacMurray has a talent for sensitively combining materials much as a conductor brings together his or her orchestra. Delicate, sensuous velvet contrasts with cold, tangled wire often reclaimed from battlefields or training grounds; soft round droplets of white beeswax are painstakingly placed at the ends of sleek lengths of black wire - there is no hierarchy of material in MacMurray’s work, rather refreshing transformation.

Of a new work titled ‘Pan’ made this year from antlers from the fallow deer herd at Attingham Park in Shropshire which MacMurray found whilst working there this pair alludes to the faun Pan, the god of the wild shepherds and flocks found in Greek Mythology who was also often affiliated with sex and fertility. The two horns are encased by two breast or buttock like forms covered in red velvet and stuffed with polyester. MacMurray says of the piece:

“Given the strange emasculation process we put wild animals through in making them ‘cuddly’ toys, I quite like flipping it back, using it for something, implying the uncontainable and the erotic. Of course there is something in there to do with seduction, power, and subverting ideas around the tradition of taxidermy and male trophy taking.”

Susie MacMurray is a British artist whose work includes drawing, sculpture and architectural installations. A former classical musician, she retrained as an artist, graduating with an MA in Fine Art in 2001. She lives and works in Manchester and has an international exhibition profile, showing regularly in the USA and Europe as well as the UK.