The elongated bronze and glass works have been described by Mulcahy as ‘message sticks’. They might also have been titled ‘memory sticks’ as they tell a universal story of the past, the present and the future, but the message for the future also contains a warning. Symbolism is very powerful in these pieces. The imagery depicts both male and female figures and suggests that following the process of fertilization, the woman will give birth to a perfect child. There is no intended suggestion of possible deformity or genetic mutation in these works which are all about natural creation. The general shape of these pieces, combined with much of the low relief imagery thereon, suggests that they are strong fertility symbols. The female figure which occurs throughout the bronze series may be seen as the great Earth Mother sending a message, and a warning that we are responsible for our own actions. Here, the act of creation symbolized in the hardness of the bronze represents both the male and the female energies while the glass is a metaphor for the earth’s primal energy.
Extract from Catalogue Essay by Gordon Faulds
