Phyllida Shelley

Phyllida Shelley’s work explores how historic traces of physical movement and human activity can be translated into marks, impressions, and images. Inspired by a recent art residency on an archaeological excavation site, she considers the print as a record of presence, capturing what remains, what has been displaced, and what might otherwise be overlooked. Working between site and studio, Shelley draws and prints directly onto drafting film and intaglio plates, allowing the boundaries between the two processes to remain fluid. Through rhythmic, physical acts of making, layers of gesture, repetition, and impression accumulate, creating evocative images that explore material traces, memory, and the enduring presence of human existence.