A witch’s cauldron, housed within the walls of an Exeter museum has inspired a new, contemporary art show, writes Catherine Courtenay

When an artist explores the off-display collections tucked away in the depths of a museum, there’s a potential for all sorts of creative magic to occur.

Pop along to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM) in Exeter and you’ll discover what happened when a number of contemporary artists were invited to create work for a new exhibition, using some of the museum’s objects for inspiration.

The exhibition, Earth Spells: Witches of the Anthropocene, takes a major issue as its theme - the environment and the climate crisis. The artworks tap into our relationship with the natural world, often by looking at other-worldly connections to the earth, connections that are deep rooted in tradition, history and communities, and which respect nature and landscape

Emma Hart, Grace Ndiritu, Florence Peake and Lucy Stein were commissioned to create new pieces which are on show alongside existing artworks from Caroline Achaintre, Kris Lemsalu, Mercedes Mülheisen and Kiki Smith.

The exhibition covers a range of disciplines, from film and video to painting, ceramics and textiles.

All the artists were chosen because they talk about caring for the earth, listening to the earth, and having a symbiotic relationship with it, says RAMM’s contemporary art curator and programmer Lara Goodband.

Lara, who worked with independent curator Gemma Lloyd on selecting the artists, was initially inspired by an object that arrived at RAMM not long after she joined the team.

Great British Life: The cauldron used by Elizabeth Webb, the so-called White Witch of Dartmoor The cauldron used by Elizabeth Webb, the so-called White Witch of Dartmoor (Image: Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter City Council)

It’s a cauldron, which belonged to the famous White Witch of Dartmoor, Elizabeth Webb, who died in 1913. Mrs Webb made herbal potions and healing remedies using the small iron pot.

Lara explains how they developed the idea for the exhibition, based on people’s growing interest in connecting with the natural world.

‘There has recently been a resurgence and return to traditional ecological knowledge, which indigenous communities have held.

‘These relationships with the earth, nature and the non-human are now being applied by shamans on Dartmoor through healing practices and embedded in new philosophies and art practices in the UK and the rest of Europe.

‘Reclaiming the term ‘witch’ for the 21st century, we wanted to reflect on how contemporary artists are attuned to their relationship with the earth and an urgent need for a rebalancing and reciprocity with nature at this time.’

The cauldron acted as a kid of touchstone, says Lara. Several of the commissioned artists came in to see it and handle it during their research. The experience was quite powerful for some who described feeling its aura. The cauldron’s appearance in the Earth Spells exhibition will be the first time it’s gone on public display.

The connection between the artists and museum exhibits was a crucial part of the process, not just because it helped inspire the artists but because it brought a new, creative (rather than historic) interpretation of the objects themselves, says Lara.

Great British Life: Lucy Stein in the museum store looking at Walter Crane illustrationsLucy Stein in the museum store looking at Walter Crane illustrations (Image: Lucy Stein)

They explored the museum’s collections, including off-display items, talking to the curators before selecting objects from a diverse range of time periods and subject matter.

There’s an element of ‘witchiness’ to the resulting exhibition, says Lara, where some artworks might be perceived as suspicious or challenging.

Mysticism, myth and Celtic identity are influences on Lucy Stein's work. Lucy studied at Glasgow School of Art and De Ateliers in Amsterdam and now lives in West Penwith in Cornwall.

She is known for her vibrant paintings which conjure up a sense of wildness, challenging us to stop ‘controlling’ or ‘civilising’ the natural world.

Lucy, who describes herself as a half-witch, makes frequent visits to ancient sites, including those on Dartmoor.

She says, ‘For this commission I am trying to tap into the vibe of my childhood, death, the mystical feminine and the spirit of place in the South West.’

She says she was fascinated by the museum’s neolithic artifacts, including a burial urn, but she also found inspiration in taxidermy birds and drawings and prints by the Victorian illustrator Walter Crane.

‘I really love that period of children’s illustration, it is a deep love for me and very influential in my work, this dark side of saccharine – it is quite a niche interest!’

The objects, some of which are used within her exhibition piece, helped her find a sense of place, of a connection to the South West.

Great British Life: With a Body, 2022 by Lucy SteinWith a Body, 2022 by Lucy Stein (Image: Lucy Stein)

A sense of place involves being connected to the earth, she says. Being aware of seasonal changes, moon cycles and generally being in tune with what’s going on around you in the natural world is powerful and regenerative and gives you a creative energy.

Even behind the walls of the Victorian RAMM building, Lucy found she could feel this connection. ‘These objects felt like they were helping me to create work that was very, very place specific.’

She says it has been ‘a dream’ to show her contemporary art alongside historical artifacts and objects.

‘RAMM is such an amazing museum, they have such a great collection and the way they exhibit objects is so sophisticated, so intelligent,’ she says.

Lara hopes that the exhibition ‘will suggest and remind us that we are living through a climate crisis and ecological disaster and maybe we need to listen to the earth.’

But, she’s keen to point out that, ‘This is not a miserable exhibition, it will be very brightly coloured!’

The exhibition is sparking a host of extra activities, including dance and poetry, and links with community groups. A number of university students have been trained as ‘explainers’ , to help guide visitors to the exhibition and spark conversations.

Earth Spells also demonstrates that RAMM is becoming a focus for contemporary art in the South West, with exhibitions by acclaimed UK and international artists. Lara is encouraging everyone to visit RAMM and explore Earth Spells; as she points out, this is a unique exhibition with new, commissioned work, and it is the only place where you will see all these artists’ works together at the same time.

The three other commissioned artists are:

Florence Peake. Her art practice is concerned with the moving body, through which she creates collaborative and multidisciplinary performances that combine drawing, painting, sculpture and text with dance and movement. The recipient of many Arts Council funding awards, a recent project was Apparition, Apparition, a collaborative work at the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019.

Grace Ndiritu is inspired by living in ecologically aware ‘permaculture communities’ during her twenties. She has had an interest in Shamanism since a child, which she partly attributes to her Kenyan heritage. Her work featured in Hayward Gallery exhibition British Art Show 9, which toured the UK in 2022. She won the 2022 Film London Jarman Award.

Emma Hart works primarily in ceramic sculpture and installation. She brings humour into her work, along with issues of social class and autobiographical details. Her work seeks to capture the ‘real’ aspects of everyday experiences and social interactions. She has a PhD in fine art and is known for her acclaimed installation, Mamma Mia!, first shown at the Whitechapel Gallery in London.

Earth Spells: Witches of the Anthropocene runs until May 7. rammuseum.org.uk/contemporary-art