In: Moths. Out: Bats. Monster Chetwynd on the Isle of Bute
By Annie Coughlan
What do a London underground station and a 19th century mansion on the Isle of Bute have in common? Monster Chetwynd.
Monster Chetwynd: ‘Moths,’ 2023, installation view at Mount Stuart Trust, Isle of Bute // © Monster Chetwynd, courtesy Mount Stuart Trust, Isle of Bute, and Sadie Coles HQ, London, photo by Keith Hunter
Any other Londoners will be aware of Gloucester Road Station as a location known for temporary art installations. Travelling on the tube over the summer, I couldn’t help but admire Monster Chetwynd’s botanical inspired works that currently occupy the space. The bright white sculptures, depicting pond animals and plants, glow in the gloom of the train tunnel, shining out at the everyday commuter. While the pieces are far mundane, I was more surprised by the location of Chetwynd’s second fauna inspired installation from that summer.
Monster Chetwynd: ‘Moths,’ 2023, installation view at Mount Stuart Trust, Isle of Bute // © Monster Chetwynd, courtesy Mount Stuart Trust, Isle of Bute, and Sadie Coles HQ, London, photo by Keith Hunter
The artist’s commission at Mount Stuart, the ancestral home of the Marquesses of Bute, also explores issues of environmentalism, focusing on a humble local animal: the moth. Influenced by local researchers and conservationists undertaking a moth count when visiting the site, Chetwynd’s installation consists of a series of enormous cardboard, fabric and latex sculptures of ‘glamorous and gorgeous moths’ across the bedrooms of the historic house. While the artist has been studying bats since 2000 and painting an ongoing series called ‘Bat Opera’ for the last ten, Chetwynd chose to focus on ‘neglected nocturnal creature which people don’t bother to learn about’ as an homage to their role in the local ecosystem. Moth replicas and alien like larvae costumes hang in the crypt while a nearby film shows them being worn by local school children, Mount Stuart staff and performers in a parade through the house and grounds. While Chetwynd’s London installation calls into question the colonial elements of British botanical history, the Bute work has been considered a ‘gentle’ project, where children get to research their local indigenous animals and explore the stunning variety of colours and shapes in which these underrated creatures appear.
Monster Chetwynd: ‘Moths,’ 2023, installation view at Mount Stuart Trust, Isle of Bute // © Monster Chetwynd, courtesy Mount Stuart Trust, Isle of Bute, and Sadie Coles HQ, London, photo by Keith Hunter
Chetwynd highlights the role of conservationists further in the installation by transforming a pre-existing work, ‘Folding House’ (2011) into a ‘Moth Hub’. The site in the house aims to engage with volunteers from the Bute Museum & Natural History Society and local experts who use the grounds to conduct regular counts for the National Moth Recording Scheme. Using an older work, made from recycled single glazed windows that were thrown away after the UK government advised double glazing for environmental purposes, reiterates this message of conserving what we already have, in place of overproduction and consumption. All the pieces and costumes are made of recycled materials and their unconventional and distinct presence contribute significantly to the layered history of the house’s interior. The artist herself, born Alaila Chetwynd, changing her name to Spartacus, Marvin Gaye and now Monster, is a Turner Prize nominated performance artist known for her bold work and eccentric personality. Indeed, the specificity of this installation appears in line with her image yet nonetheless serves as a touching tribute to Scotland’s landscape and wildlife.
Bibliography
Louisa Buck, ‘Glamorous moths and giant lily pads: Monster Chetwynd unveils commissions in London Underground and Scottish island Bute’, The Art Newspaper, accessed 3rd February 2024.
Alison Hugil, ‘Learning from Moths: An Interview with Monster Chetwynd’, Berlin Art Link, accessed 3rd February 2024.