Nicola Turner British, b. 1967
Further images
"Cloud of Unknowing" draws its name from a 14th-century mystical text that speaks of letting go of all thoughts and concepts, entering a quiet 'cloud' where certainty fades and deeper awareness begins."
The text teaches that true understanding of ultimate reality cannot be reached through reasoning or imagery. Instead, it encourages letting go of all thoughts and concepts-creating a "cloud of unknowing" —so that one can approach the deepest form of awareness through stillness, intention, and openness beyond the intellect.
The author writes: "And thou shalt step above it stalwartly, but mistily, with a devout and a pleasing stirring of love, and try for to pierce that darkness above thee. And smite upon that thick cloud of unknowing with a sharp dart of longing love; and go not thence for thing that befalleth."
The Cloud of Unknowing was written by an anonymous 14th-century English mystic.
Incorporating light or dark wool, netted and teetering on tailor’s shears and tripods, Turner's freestanding sculptures have a powerful yet elegant presence. As Hettie Judah describes, they “offset their earthy, bestial nature by deploying a veneer of delicacy”, referencing in their titles ideas around female desire, bodily shame and emotional secrecy.