In Spinster Salt's Collection from the Wing Museum series
In Spinster Salt’s Collection (1989) features an ancient Egyptian mirror and a pair of sistra, rattle like instruments used in dance and religious ceremonies for the worship of the ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor. Most often represented as either a cow or a woman with bovine ears, Hathor was venerated as the goddess of prosperity, joy and beauty, as well as music and dance.
Himid uses text to draw our attention to the fictional collector who once owned these precious items: a spinster. Originally used to designate older tradeswomen who held low-income jobs such as spinning wool, the term ‘spinster’ subsequently became a derogatory term to describe an unmarried woman. The composition of the objects suspended in space, with disordered numbering, conveys a sense of neglect towards the objects and their collector, undermining their importance.
