Of Shadows: One Hundred Objects from The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
Sara Hannant & Simon Costin
240pp / 225mm x 225mm
120+ images in colour and black & white
Limited edition hardback of 200
Limited special edition hardback of 50
Paperback / Hardback / Special Edition
£25.00 / £35.00 / £50.00
The hardback edition of 500 includes postcards.
the special edition hardback of 50 is signed and numbered, with a set of eight postcards and an original archival artefact from the Museum's collection.
————————
Nominated for the Folklore Society’s 2017 Katherine Briggs Award.
————————
Sara’s pictures are rites of evocation… a radically new and exciting approach to the work of representing the past to the present.
— Ronald Hutton
A feast for the eyes and mind of anyone fascinated by mankind’s long history of ritual and superstition, and how our relationship with and belief in occult practices has evolved over time.
— Arnolfini Bookshop
A beautiful new book… satisfyingly square-shaped, full-colour, and impeccably designed, making it a rather totemic object unto itself.
— Phantasmaphile
Of Shadows is intriguing. The positioning of the subjects doesn’t detract from their mysterious nature and yet conveys a great deal of objective information. The captions are very informative and help to add to the experience of viewing these unique pieces.
— Lens Culture
Revealing many fascinating aspects of folklore and tradition, and what Sara calls ‘the power of ritual to connect with the changing seasons’’.
— The Countryman
One hundred objects, exuding magic and mystery, emerge from the darkness of Cornwall’s much-loved Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in this book of haunting photographs.
Artist and photographer Sara Hannant has captured the very essence of these carefully-selected artifacts, including wax dolls, wands, statues, daggers, pendants, robes and amulets. Each striking image tells its own vivid tale of belief and ceremonial practice.
Accompanying the photographs are informative texts from Sara Hannant and Museum director Simon Costin, as well as an illuminating introduction by the leading historian of British witchcraft and magic, Ronald Hutton.
————————
About the authors
Sara Hannant is an artist and photographer. Her practice is inspired by witchcraft, magic, and folklore. She is fascinated by the diverse expressive qualities of photography and uses analogue, digital, and alternative processes.
Simon Costin is a renowned British art director, set designer, and curator, best known as the founder and director of the Museum of British Folklore. With a distinguished fashion background, including working with Alexander McQueen, he created the museum to preserve and celebrate UK indigenous culture. He is also associated with the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic.
