Daisy Collingridge has a background in fashion design and her practice is driven by craft. Her multi-disciplinary work, between sculpture, photography and performance, investigates the human form. Collingridge draws her inspiration from old anatomical studies, in particular the woodcut illustrations of Andreas Vesalius, which she sees as animated studies of humanity that are intentionally manifested in elements of her own work.

The ‘flesh suits’ or ‘Squishies’ are an exploration of fabric, which the artist conceives as a form and flesh. Their tactile bodies and inviting colour exaggerate the warmth and softness of flesh, signifying a living thing. They are visceral. There is a desire to touch. Each piece has its own character. They become real and take on their own identity.

For Collingridge, ‘Unknown’ becomes the embodiment of the frustrations of the entire gender-biased history of medicine, encapsulating the feeling of the female body within this system and the mystery it presents. A body which often is ‘unknown’, overlooked, disregarded and misunderstood. “There is so much to take in on the subject of Hysteria. It covers the whole development of medicine and its impact is still hugely pervasive today. There is a gender gap in medical research and treatment due to the long history of dismissal and ignorance of female biology.” (Daisy Collingridge)

In light of this theme, Collingridge has taken an interest in disease research, reflecting on the fact that it has predominantly used male subjects in clinical studies, which has led to insufficient knowledge about how it manifests in women. Using this thought as a starting point for her work, Collingridge brings the bigger picture into ‘Unknown.’