Unicorn Artist Guest Blog: Ciaran Cannon

As part of our upcoming Unicorn exhibition at Perth Museum, we have commissioned 6 artists who identify as queer or part of the LGBTQIA+ community to produce new Unicorn-themed artworks exploring the theme of ‘Unicorn hunting in 2023’. We asked each of our 6 artists to write a blog from their perspective about the process and idea behind their unicorn piece, and what the unicorn means to them in 21st-century Scotland.

Unicorn, the debut exhibition from Perth Museum, explores the rich significance of this beloved mythical creature from antiquity to the present day, through art, science, social movements, and popular culture.  The unicorn’s enduring presence throughout history and its role as a symbol of Scotland’s changing heritage and identity will be explored through iconic loans from around the world,  and interactive displays. The commissioned artworks in this exhibition explore the unicorn as a modern symbol of the LGBTQIA+ community.

This blog is written by our fourth commissioned artist Ciaran Cannon.

Ciaran is a Glasgow-based queer artist who creates sculpture and installations from discarded and overlooked materials of all sorts. He recently created an installation from found rubber pipes shown at the Hidden Door festival in Edinburgh (2023) and received a bursary and mentorship from Dundee-based Shaper/Caper in their 2022-23 programme ‘Queer to Stay’.

Ciaran Cannon (he/him)

The unicorn I’ve helped into being is partially formed of pieces of scavenged scrap metal I came across while exploring with friends in different locations in Scotland. The metal pieces are former mass-produced industrial parts which served a particular purpose, but have now come together to create something quite unique!

This unicorn illustrates that what appears to be solid at first is actually much less substantial than it seems. In this I am also exploring the ideas we have about gender as a society; how we think gender is something that’s fixed and real, but if we look carefully, we see it’s just made up – a construct. And what’s more… it’s a construct that doesn’t really serve anybody! It feels so limiting to try and fit ourselves into these boxes! And I wonder, why do we do that to ourselves?

I’m also hoping that my artwork can provide a counter to recent anti-trans sentiments and legislation.  Leading politicians and cabinet members seem to be desperately trying to whip up hatred against the trans community for political gain – trying to create a distraction from real political and social issues which are causing many of us hardship and struggle.

This unicorn is a powerful symbol of the strength of expressing ourselves in whatever way we feel comfortable. By stepping outside binary ideas of gender, the queer community is leading the way in showing that humans are way more than the restrictions and ideas we unwittingly believe to be real and place upon ourselves.

This freedom of expression that the queer community embodies and celebrates makes some people feel uncomfortable because it questions the reality of the systems we base our lives on. But there is no need to impose any boundaries on ourselves as human beings: we are made of the same stuff as the Whole Universe, in its multitude of wondrous shapes and forms!  So this is a message of freedom and possibility for us all.’

https://www.instagram.com/ciaran_cannon_/

https://2022.gsashowcase.net/2022/03/26/ciaran-cannon/

You can see Ciaran Cannon’s artwork when Unicorn opens on 30 March 2024 at the new Museum. Book your tickets now.