Ann-Marie James: Alchemy

Ann-Marie James's solo exhibition Alchemy opens in the New Year at Poole Museum. As part of her residency with the Wessex Partner Museums, James was invited to explore and research the collections of Wiltshire, Salisbury, Poole and Dorset Museums to create series of works in response to the objects she encountered. 

At Poole Museum, Ann-Marie James was excited to find one of their collection highlights: the Roman Glass Head. Excavated in Poole, this decorative wine glass is originally thought to have held a ceremonial, religious significance. This brought to mind a recurring source of inspiration in James's work: Ovid's Metamorphoses and in particular the story of Bacchus, Silenus and Midas. In the resulting Midas series on view in Alchemy, she abstracts and obscures Ovid's text of the myth in layers of imitation gold leaf. 

Following Poole Museum, Alchemy will be on view for the launch of the new redevelopment of Dorset County Museum in summer 2020. 


Ann-Marie James: Alchemy
1 February–19 April 2020
Poole Museum
4 High Street
Poole BH15 1BW (map)

Private view:
31 January 2020, 5.30pm