I’ve been making shadow box lanterns in teepee shapes from biodegradable materials. When I was a child, my mother showed me how to boil starch glue. It’s transparent, tough, incredibly sticky, non-toxic and feels good to touch. Activists and artists have always used it. It became a bugbear to government officials and was the the source of the Bill Posters prosecution notices because it was so hard to remove. Not only does it stick, but it glazes too, forming a glutinous film that holds together in layers.  I’ve been using rubber bands and raffia to fasten the cane and bamboo pieces together. The remarkable thing about Raffia is that it is incredibly strong, and splits apart in one direction into strands that can be plaited, twisted, woven and wrapped. It can be pulled into strands that are smooth and fine enough to be threaded through a needle and it feels soft to touch.  A few photos from the weekend.

constructing shadow box lanterns