Dancing at the Edge of the World with the Golden Sickle by Evelyn Albrow

Evelyn Albrow created this stoneware charger while reflecting on winter and the idea of burning out the old year. Her design draws on Celtic winter rituals, particularly the tradition of cutting mistletoe from an oak tree with a golden sickle. She also found inspiration in the movements of local Sheffield sword dancers, whose dynamic poses influenced the creation of an alternative circle of dancers in the piece, paying homage to their tradition.

The political climate at the time also played a role in shaping the work. With Donald Trump having just taken office, Evelyn felt it was important to feature strong female figures, leading to the inclusion of powerful nymphs and Furies charging around a fire, shaking a blonde man in a suit at the center of the scene.

The charger’s title is drawn from Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1989 collection of essays, Dancing at the Edge of the World. A quote from the essay “Woman / Wilderness” deeply resonated with Albrow and informed the themes of the piece:

“Civilised Man says: I am Self, I am Master; all the rest is other—outside, below, underneath, subservient. I own, I use, I explore, I exploit, I control. What I do is what matters. What I want is what matter is for. I am that I am, and the rest is women & wilderness, to be used as I see fit.”

This powerful reflection on control, exploitation, and the marginalization of both women and nature is echoed in Evelyn’s imagery, blending folklore, political commentary, and feminist symbolism into a charged, dynamic composition.

Stoneware charger

55D cm

2024