The Monstera Deliciosa began in midsummer 2020 when the flowers of the Arctium lappa (greater burdock) were blooming. Emma collected thousands of these to make her work – with the intention of showing it in September last year!
The reason for the delay we all know, and now in retrospect, the (now dried) little burrs remind her of the nasty virus most of us have tried to avoid!
This is an enormous creature, a kind of alien with a puzzling top half and a multi limbed torso covered with what looks like tiny sea urchins: half man, half cephalopod. The puzzle pieces were discarded by her neurodivergent son – Emma follows his lead, using them for colour and form to make an unruly, shape shifting figure of deviance and resistance, the aim being to remain undeniably “here”.

Emma is a painter who makes sculptures and drawings. Emma has been resident in Suffolk for many years, and when she moved from her London studio, she co-founded Asylum Studios, Bentwaters, where she still works (everyday if possible).