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Unveiled on the 18th of June, SKALLI is the work of Merseyside artist Patric Rogers. The sculpture has drawn a lot of attention in the months since, both in the press and from the general public.
SKALLI draws on a part of Merseyside’s past and folklore which had been all but forgotten. A re-imagining by Rogers, yes, but also a revival. A re-enchantment.
Patric and I have known each other for a few years now, but neither of us had any idea that the other had any connection to, or interest in, the SKALLI until his project was underway. As soon as we became aware, we realised that there was only one logical next step. We needed to work together to bring the fragments of SKALLI lore which remain to a wider audience.
Discover SKALLI, a strange estuary folklore brought to life in a new book by John Reppion and Camille Smithwick and Patric Rogers,
Join us at Nettle on 24 September for the official launch of SKALLI: Notes on an Estuary Entity, a new publication from MAT MAT Publishing by writer John Reppion, artist Camille Smithwick and Liverpool Sculpture Prize winning artist Patric Rogers,
SKALLI: Notes on an Estuary Entity explores the recently discovered strange folklore of the Mersey and Dee estuaries, tracing the stories, sightings and supposed histories of an elusive creature said to inhabit the shifting margins between land and water.
The launch evening will feature readings from the book, followed by a conversation and discussion with the writers and artists exploring folklore, mythology, landscape and the process of creating new folklore from fragments of history, place and imagination.
Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase the first edition of SKALLI on the evening.
And, for the first time, a limited number of the official SKALLI idols will be available, small protective figures inspired by those described within the folklore, traditionally placed facing outward in windows to guard the home.