We are delighted to welcome Jakob Rowlinson as one of our Artists in Residence this summer, in partnership with The Art House, Wakefield.

Rowlinson combines the natural world and medieval symbolism to question and explore the evolving perceptions of masculinity throughout time. Employing collage techniques and working with materials such as felt and leather, he creates artworks blending decorative patterns from medieval designs and manuscript marginalia with organic iconography.

Inspired by Wakefield’s historical significance as a trading post for medieval society, Rowlinson will explore the history of cloth and leather markets in the town. The West Riding of Yorkshire was at the centre of the English tanning industry by the 16th century and leather production was vital to medieval life. The Art House was constructed on the remnants of a tannery, and the remains of the large wooden vats used to store the urine necessary for leather production were discovered under its foundations when it was built in 1994.

Rowlinson will spend time in Wakefield, both at The Art House and YSP to explore the region’s history of leather production. The wearing of leather spans generational, cultural, and socio-economical differences. Rowlinson will investigate the particular resonance within the queer community and explore the complex notions of queer identity that are linked (conceptually and materially) to leather.