Responding artistically to the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

What is it about?

The outcomes presented in this article represent a body of fine artworks that respond to the medieval poem ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ (c.1380), culminating in the realization of the monstrous head of the Green Knight. I outline influences from an extended base of film, and television, including direct adaptations of the poem, and thematically relevant sources that include analogous narratives; as well as looking at fine art sculpture and painting that have informed my making strategies. I also discuss my theoretical framing of the poem which asserts the Green Knight as an eerie agent of temporality.

Featured Image

Photo by Marita Kavelashvili on Unsplash

Photo by Marita Kavelashvili on Unsplash

Why is it important?

'In ‘The Reproachful Head of the Green Knight: Exploring the eerie, liminality, deep time and duration in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”’, the artist and researcher Michael Eden takes us on a journey through artistic adaptation, privileging us with an insight into the conceptualization and creation of a series of artworks inspired by the medieval poem ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’. Eden reveals his influences and theoretical framework providing a profound example of academic research and studio practice' (Editor Ben Pinsent 2023)

Perspectives