Fidgeting Eyes
I spend a lot of time walking, observing, and collecting mainly metal items from roads. These regularly find their way into my studio as materials for my work. I find discarded Nitrous Oxide Bulbs aka nangs frequently. The frequency, in this context, suggesting their having been used for purposes other than their marketed purpose of making fizzy drinks at home. Nangs are easily accessible and cheap. And unlike a lot of street drugs, a nang due to its status as a mass-produced commercial product is of a consistent standard; no pill testing is needed. It doesn’t mean though that the use of nangs is without risk and the Australian Drug and Alcohol Foundation (ADF) provides advice on safe administration to avoid frost bite, falls and unnecessary risks, the ADF also advises to take vitamin B12 after, warning that nitrous oxide depletes B12 from the body and long-term depletion will cause brain and nerve damage. I wonder do the people who drop the nangs know this?
The ADF also notes that ‘Nitrous oxide bulbs are not very environmentally friendly.’ While made of steel that is recyclable, they are banned from standard recycling. Ultimately if nangs discarded on the street aren’t collected by me or someone else they will in the next big rain, or with the flow of traffic make their way down the street drain that flows to the river.
The nangs I used for Fidgeting Eyes were not long discarded when I found them exhibiting minimal evidence in the way of scratches and dints from their time on the street. The eyeballs are from a necklace found at Deptford and on my work bench they came together. The shiny slightly scratched bulbs seemed the right match for the eyes. Across the three pendants the eye starts at a position that suggests heightened alertness and it moves down suggesting the changed status through the impact of misuse.
Exhibition list and curatorial statement for No Laughing Matter shared with the permission of Dauvit Alexander.
History
ERA Category
- Original Creative Work - Visual Art
Funding type
- Self funded
Eligible major research output?
- Yes
Research Statement
Research Background: The human practice of adorning with charms for protection has been traced through all cultures and in many the eye is a potent and powerful symbol to ward off evil. Fidgeting Eyes are a series of three pendants that speak to this tradition. The eyes are ‘set’ in an identifiable cross section of a nitrous oxide bulb. The bulbs were found discarded in gutters an indication their use had been for purposes other than their marketed purpose of making fizzy drinks at home. Research Contribution Unlike the traditional fixed staring eye, each pendant has one single eye that flutters when the pendant is worn. This movement and action is a subtle but no doubt unsettling element for those who believe in the power of such charms. This speaks to the furtive use of nitrous oxide (nangs) as a readily available drug. The Australian Drug and Alcohol Foundation has warned that long term use of nangs can cause brain and nerve damage. Research Significance Taking something from the gutter and giving it prominence on a body is powerful way to engage conversation. The Fidgeting Eyes were curated by Dauvit Alexander into the exhibition No Laughing Matter in the United Kingdom. The exhibition opened at Bloomspace as part of the Hereford Ferrous Festival 15 – 24 March 2024. The exhibition then toured to the School of Jewellery Vittoria Street Gallery Birmingham City University 1- 29 July 2024.Place of publication
United KingdomCopyright notes
© 2024 Elizabeth ShawMedium
Found nitrous oxide bulbs, plastic, sterling silver, waxed linenSize of work
each fidgeting eye pendant is 70mm H, 20mm W, 20 mm D neck piece is variableNumber of discrete components
3Exhibition date from
2024-03-15Exhibition date to
2024-07-29Was the work disseminated?
- Yes
Form of dissemination
- Exhibition
Scope of dissemination
- International
Did the work go on tour?
- Yes