2015

“I shall have to do research’, Dougal mused, ‘into their inner lives. Research into the real Peckham. It will be necessary to discover the spiritual well-spring, the glorious history of the place, before I am able to offer some impetus.” (from The Ballad of Peckham Rye, Muriel Spark, 1960)

Common Ground is a collaborative research project centred around the heritage of Peckham, London. Working with design historian Justine boussard, we are developing strategies for sharing and recording local history. Using history and craft as tools to understand the present, we have started to create objects for and with the people of Peckham, capturing a moment in time that sees continuity and change collide. 

Work in progress work was shown at COLLECT 15 at Saatchi Gallery this year with Making Enhanced; a collective of designers and historians, interested in exploring the potential of cross-disciplinary collaboration between makers and writers with shared research interests. 

2014

Silver photograms

Exploring the use of precious materials in unusual processes, Alice took sweepings from her jewellery studio and made a series of photograms onto silver sheet to document her findings. The photo emulsion used to create the image on the silver contains silver; therefore it is a photo of silver, on silver using silver. 

The film is found 16mm footage of a 'how to file metal' demonstration. 16mm film also contains silver so the film was edited and projected onto silver sheet for exhibition. 

These works were produced during a residency at Camberwell College of Art.

2012

24ct Gold leaf, mixed media

Gold is an all-natural material that is non-toxic, exhibits no interactions with other drugs and is easily tolerated by the body. This piece represents these qualities and is also reference to research into rural areas in China where rice is cooked with a gold coin to replenish the minerals back into their bodies. 

2012/2013

18ct yellow gold, gold plated silver, thermochromic coating

Gold has long been a symbol of power, strength and eternity; from early Egyptian tales of alchemy to today's use as a declaration of wealth and love. The Thermochromic Necklaces draw attention to these particular qualities of gold. Off the body, the necklace's dark appearance is black and seems to hold little value. However, when the necklace is worn the heat generated from the person wearing it transforms the material into shimmering gold.

2012

24ct gold dust, 18ct yellow gold, gold thread

Would a gold necklace still hold it's value if it disintegrated and dispersed onto your skin, clothes and the environment surrounding you? The temporary nature of this piece seeks to capture and demonstrate activities that take place in time but do not lead to the creation of any definite product. It exemplifies excessive time that is not completely absorbed by the historical process. 

2012

Turquoise, Ruby, Rough Diamond, Pearl & 18ct gold plate 

Part of a series of 4 different stone necklaces that all sit within their own crushed selves. They demonstrate the ability for materials to transform and seek to highlight other qualities that the stones may hold other than their aesthetic.

Turquoise is believed to cure many ailments such as stomach pain, ear pain and rheumatism.

Ruby is thought to be protective when worn with benefits such as invulnerability, preserved health and improved blood circulation.

Diamonds are often used in cosmetic and beauty products. They are thought to purify and detoxify all the body’s systems and rebalance metabolism.

Pearls are thought to help reduce wrinkles, strengthen the heart, promote bone growth, improve memory and reduce stress.

2012

Directed by Alice McLean & filmed by Paul McHale 

Gold is symbolic of power, strength and eternity; from early Egyptian tales of alchemy to today’s use as a declaration of wealth and love. It is non-toxic, resists corrosion and highly malleable. For all these reasons and more, gold has long been a highly valuable and sought after material for coinage, jewellery and other artefacts.

By transforming the surface of the city into a field of investigation, Alice walked gold footprints around London. The gold paint acts as a tool to highlight and question the notion of gold’s intrinsic and cultural value within an ever-consuming society. 

2011

Filmed and edited by Alice McLean

With her interest in both film and jewellery, Alice used her jewellery tools to scratch into 16mm film. 16mm film was used due to its content of silver. 

2011

Filmed and edited by Alice McLean

By inserting a small camera into her shoe, Alice explored her surroundings from a different level from her everyday view. Unknowingly at the time of filming, she captured passers by, dogs and walking sticks in her footage. The video shows a selection of views from her shoe.