John Keys
Walter Langley
The Breadwinners
watercolour
Salt Trails
12 panels, salt and vegetable dye on silk
Forgotton Journeys
18 photographs, a record of salt trails laid from Newlyn Old Quay to Paul.
The Breadwinners depicts three fish jousters crossing Newlyn beach. The poorest fish sellers, usually women, would carry up to 70lbs of fish in a wicker basket on their backs, as well as 40lbs of salt in large pockets around their waist. Blanche Courtney and Betsy Lanyon, both recognisable in The Breadwinners, were jousters who regularly modelled for the Newlyn artists.
Salt was an essential commodity for both the fishing industry and the rural population. It arrived by boat from France at the Newlyn Old Quay, where it was stored in fish cellars. Jousters carried smaller quantities to households across the nine parishes of Penwith who used it to salt fish, meat and butter in earthenware storage jars.
John Keys was struck by the remarkable physical strength and endurance these women needed to make their daily journeys and by the significant role salt played in the life of the region. His work is often inspired by landscape and marks within it. Marks made by wind, water, or people passing through. Keys is interested in the traces habitual journeys leave and how these can form the essence of our experiences.
Walter Langley
The Breadwinners
watercolour
Salt Trails
12 panels, salt and vegetable dye on silk
Forgotton Journeys
18 photographs, a record of salt trails laid from Newlyn Old Quay to Paul.
The Breadwinners depicts three fish jousters crossing Newlyn beach. The poorest fish sellers, usually women, would carry up to 70lbs of fish in a wicker basket on their backs, as well as 40lbs of salt in large pockets around their waist. Blanche Courtney and Betsy Lanyon, both recognisable in The Breadwinners, were jousters who regularly modelled for the Newlyn artists.
Salt was an essential commodity for both the fishing industry and the rural population. It arrived by boat from France at the Newlyn Old Quay, where it was stored in fish cellars. Jousters carried smaller quantities to households across the nine parishes of Penwith who used it to salt fish, meat and butter in earthenware storage jars.
John Keys was struck by the remarkable physical strength and endurance these women needed to make their daily journeys and by the significant role salt played in the life of the region. His work is often inspired by landscape and marks within it. Marks made by wind, water, or people passing through. Keys is interested in the traces habitual journeys leave and how these can form the essence of our experiences.
Photograph of jousters from Morrab Library taken by Gibson; owned by artist