Lewis Prosser
Basketweaver
Penarth, United Kingdom
An uncanny performance of baskets
- Lewis is a self-taught artist-basketmaker
- His primary material is buff willow, which he celebrates as being a familiar material
- He makes wearable baskets for live performances
Lewis Prosser earned a fine art degree from the Glasgow School of Art and worked as a printmaker and florist before taking up basketry. "I was fascinated by the craft’s rich lexicon. Learning the techniques was similar to learning a new language," he explains. He describes himself as an absurdist basketmaker, a term he coined to encapsulate his dedication to the discipline of basketry and his love of performance art. One of his projects centered on making wearable baskets for a traditional British mime play. “My work sits right at the intersection of art and craft. Basketmaking is not about recreating what already exists, but about using these familiar objects to imagine futures,” says Lewis. His practice finds its home in Wales, both for the availability of the natural materials and for the rich folklore.
INTERVIEW
Moving to South Wales prompted me to use natural materials and my hands as the main tools. Being close to the source gave me an intimate understanding of the material. Basketmaking is an obsessive craft because you can vividly see the improvement and you learn from your mistakes in an embodied way.
My practice is grounded in research, not just about techniques but also about the histories and industries surrounding them. The learning process was monumental and demanded discipline. The beauty of being self-taught was the freedom to experiment, so rather than being hindered by tradition, I was propelled by it.
I mainly use buff willow, which is willow that has been boiled and stripped. Most household baskets are made of this material, and that familiarity lends the object an uncanny quality when placed in unusual contexts, drawing people in to investigate the material.
My first major project was Making Merrie, which was a re-creation of a traditional UK mummers’ play that featured abstracted basket sculptures as characters. The familiarity and craftsmanship of the speculative baskets made the audience comfortable engaging with them. It toured across Wales for five performances.
Lewis Prosser
Basketweaver
Penarth, United Kingdom
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Penarth, United Kingdom
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English, Welsh
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