CHOP CHOP

Wood, Paint, Black Wax, Blackthorn Needles, Banishing Spell, 2024

The inspiration for CHOP CHOP comes from an iconic scene in Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man (1973), where the inhabitants of Summerisle perform a traditional Celtic sword dance, chanting “Chop Chop.” What begins as a quaint village ritual quickly shifts into something more sinister. This moment—where the familiar tips into fear—is a duality I often explore in my work.

On my walks, I collect objects tied to familial customs, witchcraft, and old ritual. In my heritage, Blackthorn is linked to dark magic—witches were said to carve staffs from its branches, wands from its twigs, and use its thorns as stabbing needles. The black wax I’ve used to form this piece, based on the interlocked swords of the dance, is also steeped in ritual, often associated with banishing and darker intent.

This work exists as both relic and spell, created under a new moon—a time for release, banishment, and new beginnings. The frame is hand-decorated in a style echoing Roses and Castles—seen here, erased. A recurring theme in this series.

I often reflect on the sheer gratitude I feel that I get to make this object. In times past, I would not have been able to—for fear of persecution and death.