I Can Read Your Thoughts… was an interactive public project that connected traditional intaglio printing and object-based installation with emerging digital printing technologies. The project began in 1999 with the discovery of several chrome-framed chairs discarded outside a studio. At the time, the chairs lacked seats, inspiring the creation of new ones made from photo-etched metal plates.
These plates featured text etched both on the surface and in reverse on the underside, reflecting memory-based narratives related to chairs. Displayed on mirrored bases, the design allowed viewers to see both sides of the etchings. Public participation was encouraged by inviting people to contribute their own reflections, memories, and associations with chairs—whether personal, emotional, or symbolic.
Waterloo Bridge 2000
The chairs were exhibited outdoors, outside galleries or in central city locations, fostering spontaneous interaction. Participants could also submit text and imagery to have personalised chairs created and installed within gallery spaces. The project was shown in Birmingham, London, and Hull, blending printmaking, sculpture, and social engagement into a meditation on memory, presence, and everyday objects.
‘Cascade’ Arte Di Cascano, Artist residency in Terracina Italy 2015
In 2015, the themes of memory, presence, and public interaction were revisited through a site-specific installation created in collaboration with James Bell during a residency in Terracina, Italy. This new work featured cascading wicker chairs suspended along the side of a building, echoing the earlier project’s use of chairs as vessels of personal and collective experience. However, this iteration shifted from etched text to a more architectural and sculptural expression, engaging directly with the public realm in a striking and poetic manner.