Oskar Wiberg Mulvaney - BA (Hons) Fine Art
'Two'
My practice centres on exploring the visual, tactile, and contextual qualities of materials that are often discarded, overlooked, or undervalued. Influenced by Ibrahim Mahama’s use of jute sacks, I investigate how materials accumulate meaning through physical wear, use, and displacement. However, my focus lies less in the socio-political histories of the materials and more in their surface qualities—creases, stains, textures—and the silent stories they hold.
I collect materials such as brown paper bags, cotton rags, and used papers—drawn to them intuitively for their visual language. These materials act as a foundation for enquiry, where I explore how form, scale, and medium can transform our perception of them. By using time-intensive processes such as sewing, collaging, scanning, and custom framing, I embed care into the handling of each piece. These physical interventions are not only practical but also meditative, establishing a relationship between myself and the materials.
The act of framing and sewing, in particular, functions as a way of recontextualising and monumentalising these objects. Frames become sculptural elements in their own right, elevating the materials they hold, while sewn pieces offer dimensionality and structural transformation. Inspired by artists such as Phyllida Barlow and El Anatsui, I experiment with scale and positioning—placing works on the floor, walls, or suspending them—to observe how these changes influence viewer interaction and spatial dynamics.
Through this material-led, process-based approach, I aim to draw attention to what is easily missed. My work challenges assumptions around value and encourages slower, more tactile forms of engagement. Ultimately, I see these discarded materials not as waste, but as sites of quiet complexity—each one carrying a history, a visual presence, and potential for reinvention within the gallery or installation space
