Duckling

This work references the story of ‘The Ugly Duckling’ by Hans Christian Andersen, who, like Saunders, was born in Odense, Denmark. Andersen’s auto-biographical, anthropomorphic tale is interpreted by Saunders in a witty and poignant way. It was created as part of a series called 'Katy's Envoy' which dealt with notions of (not) belonging and feeling excluded. Saunders uses quilted leather for this piece which has associations with the excluisivity of a Chesterfield armchair and yet it is a chair that you can’t sit on. Saunders’ previous works included upholstered furniture and animal taxidermy. However, in this series the artist's practice has developed to include more politicised references to civilian displacement, and the struggle of refugees.