BACKGROUND

I have been using crows as a metaphor to express how I have been feeling about the change in world order in recent months. I continue to find crows fascinating and many people have told me about how they feel about crows and how they relate to crows after seeing my work. I feel there is still much to explore about crows but I want to come away from painting for a while. I have been painting crows in Chinese ink on newspapers – although the research and set up can take some time, the actual painting process is quick (typically 10-20mins). As autumn approached, I wanted to do some slow-making and do something more physical to exert my energy, hence I explored other ways of making whilst remaining with the crow.

METHOD

A few years ago, I attended a short course at CSM on making plaster sculptures. We used chicken wire to make the frame/armature before applying scrim and plaster. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and I made a few plaster sculptures after I got home. As a result, I still have some chicken wire in my studio and I decided to make a large crow in chicken wire. The idea was to then cover it with the FT newspaper to make a papier mache ‘News’ crow.

I used all the chicken wire I had and made a crow of size:

Height 2m

Wing span 2.6m

Beak to tail length 2.5m

I felt a real connection with the crow. With such a large bird made in thin wire, although the chicken wire is robust, there was a vulnerability and gentleness about the bird that I connected with. At that moment, I felt I could not do papier mache because slapping on all that glue and making it rigid just felt too violent. I still wanted to do something with newspapers but not sure what yet.

I wondered if the sculpture could exist just as a wire sculpture. To develop that idea, I wanted to give the piece more meaning than just ‘a crow’. So I researched what the crow symbolised in my culture. I was fascinated to find that there was a famous three-legged crow in Chinese and East Asian mythology. (See below for Research info on the three-legged crow)

I summarised my research into this paragraph to express what I wanted to say with my three-legged crow:

In East Asian mythology, the three-legged crow is a revered symbol of divine power and celestial guidance, appearing in the folklore of China, Korea, and Japan. In Japan, this creature is known as ‘Yatagarasu’, said to have led the first emperor toward unity and purpose. The three legs are often interpreted as representing heaven, earth, and humanity – or past, present, and future – reminding us that true direction comes from balance.

This sculpture invites reflection: not just on where we’re going, but how we choose to get there.’

Before I did anything else to it, I took it outdoors for a photo shoot on The Downs nearby. I took some photos with it hanging from a tree and then I posed with my crow as a form of performance.

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REFLECTIONS

I set out to make something physical to exert energy; something that would take time to make to give myself time for contemplation as autumn approached. Also, this was my first proper project after finishing my MA. Although I have been making art, they have been shorter work to fit in with a busy summer schedule of travelling and other commitments. So it felt great to be able to dedicate proper time to make something physical in the studio.

The outcome was a wire sculpture – the three-legged crow. I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I didn’t expect to have such connection and affinity with the work. I didn’t expect to feel protective over it to the extent of not wanting to papier mache as it felt too violent.

I have always valued the process of making, but most of the time I have not been too bothered about the work once it was made. The process was the key for me. However, on this occasion, I felt differently about the work, I wanted to take care of it.

For me, the work exudes gentleness; and softness somehow is also its strength. Perhaps it represents how I feel about the world right now… the vulnerability (the world’s or mine?).

This photo was particularly poignant – I placed the crow in my porch after bringing it home from the photo shoot and it just looked sad and vulnerable…

LEARNING

-The research on the three-legged crow reminded me of the details of mythical stores that I heard when I was a child in HK – details that I had long forgotten. So it was good that I was able to connect it with a new piece of work.

-I was pleased to find a meaning with the three-legged crow that aligns with what I want to say right now about the state of the world. It’s not only about where we are heading, but about how we want to get there.

-I thoroughly enjoyed taking the crow out for a photo shoot, more than I expected as I was self-conscious. What would the neighbours say!? But I enjoyed it especially the performance aspect – I want to do more!

-This is an unfinished piece of work. I still want to incorporate newspapers into the work but its softness has to be maintained. So I’m considering weaving strips of cut up newspaper articles into the chicken wire, then perhaps painting on that. Possible lighting the piece from within like a lantern , maintaining the theme of rear-illumination as I have been doing with ‘News’.

NEXT STEPS

-Experiment with adding newspaper to the work such as weaving strips of cut up news articles and painting on top.

-Consider ways to incorporate more performance into my work.

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RESEARCH – Three-legged crow

Below are CoPilot’s responses to my various questions that helped me to build up an understanding and a mental image of the three-legged crow:

The Legend of the Three-Legged Crow (金乌) –

In ancient Chinese mythology, the sun was not just a celestial body—it was alive, and it had a spirit. That spirit took the form of a three-legged crow, known as the Jinwu (金乌), or “Golden Crow.” This mystical bird lived in the sun and was said to have three legs, symbolizing cosmic harmony—often interpreted as heaven, earth, and humanity.

According to legend, there were ten suns, each represented by a three-legged crow. These suns lived in the Fusang tree, a divine mulberry tree located in the eastern sea. Every day, one of the crows would be carried across the sky in a chariot driven by the solar goddess Xihe, bringing light and warmth to the world. The ten crows took turns, one per day, in a ten-day cycle.

But one day, all ten suns grew restless and rose into the sky at once, scorching the earth with unbearable heat. Rivers dried up, crops withered, and people suffered terribly. The world was on the brink of destruction.

To save humanity, the legendary archer Hou Yi was summoned. With his divine bow and arrows, Hou Yi shot down nine of the ten suns, leaving only one to continue its daily journey across the sky. Peace and balance were restored.

The surviving three-legged crow remains in the sun to this day, watching over the world and maintaining the rhythm of day and night.

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This myth not only explains the sun’s movement but also reflects ancient Chinese beliefs about cosmic order, divine intervention, and the balance between chaos and harmony. The image of the three-legged crow appears in Han dynasty tombs, bronze mirrors, and ancient murals, symbolizing power, immortality, and celestial authority.

Symbolism of the Three-Legged Crow in Chinese Culture –

– Solar Deity: The crow is believed to reside in the sun, acting as its spirit or charioteer. Ancient texts describe ten such crows living in the Fusang tree in the eastern sea, each taking turns to fly across the sky and illuminate the world.

– Cosmic Balance: The myth of the ten suns (ten three-legged crows) explains natural order and chaos. When all ten suns rose at once, scorching the earth, the archer Hou Yi shot down nine, restoring balance. This story emphasizes the importance of harmony in nature.

– Divine Messenger: The crow is often seen as a celestial creature, a messenger of the gods. It appears in myths involving deities like Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West) and solar goddess Xihe.

– Three Legs: The number three symbolizes completeness and cosmic unity—often interpreted as representing heaven, earth, and humanity. It may also reflect the sun’s three phases: dawn, noon, and dusk.

– Longevity and Mysticism: In Daoist texts, the crow is said to consume divine herbs and live eternally, linking it to immortality and spiritual transcendence.

– Imperial Power: During the Han dynasty, the three-legged crow was a symbol of imperial authority and divine right. It appeared in art, tombs, and ceremonial objects to signify the emperor’s connection to cosmic forces.

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This mythical bird is not just a creature of legend—it’s a profound symbol of how ancient Chinese people understood the universe, time, and the divine.