Poll Na bPéist (The Worm Hole) (2008)

Dorothy Cross works in sculpture, film and photography to examine themes such as personal history, memory and relationships. She works with a range of materials including organic matter, found objects alongside more classical materials such as bronze and Carrera marble. Cross often acts as an alchemist, using these different materials to explore the relationship between living beings and the natural world.

Poll na bPéist translates as ‘The Wormhole’, ‘Peist’ being a reptilian sea monster from Gaelic folklore. Poll na bPéist is a tidal pool located by the Western Cliffs of Inis Mor, near where the artist is based. The almost perfect rectangular shape appears to be man-made, however it was formed naturally in the limestone rock. Underwater channels connect to the sea allowing water to flow into the ‘Worm Hole’ or sometimes waves crash over at high tide, filling it from the top.

The photograph Poll na bPéist (2008) shows the artist floating in the pool, and metaphorically explores the elemental relationship between the human form, specifically female, and the water. Water is a symbol of purification and a metaphor for the cyclical nature of life. There are perhaps religious connotations to the work with the cruciform positioning of her body. There is an energy of rebirth and renewal within this image, but also an underlying tension between the female form, forces of nature and the landscape.
Cross explains: ‘The Worm Hole is an extraordinary natural pool that lies beneath the cliffs on Inishmore, Aran Islands, Galway, Ireland. To my mind it is a wonder of the world … a perfect sculpture formed by nature over millenia. The ocean enters through a subterranean cave and tides rise and fall within. I asked a friend to photograph me lying at its centre, to present a sense of scale and create the notion of a limited ocean. It is simple and precarious.’

The Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate has been building a collection that explores the town's spa heritage. Contemporary art interrogating current thinking about health and wellbeing serves as a counterpoint to historical images of spa bathers. This includes pieces by Caroline Walker, Tacita Dean and Jacqueline Moreau. The gallery also seeks to showcase more work by women artists and the acquisition of Dorothy Cross’ Poll na bPéist addresses the gender imbalance in their collection.

This image may be shared and re-used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (CC BY-NC-ND). Any further use will need to be cleared directly with the rights holder.

Read our copyright policy for more information.