Little gems

Is there anybody who doesn’t marvel at a miniature? Small is cute, let’s face it (although the demise of the good old model village may indicate otherwise. For shame.) The dolls’ house intrigues; small cats, dogs and humans are universally popular. The ever-readable Simon Garfield attempts to make sense of the appeal of tiny things in his book, In Miniature: How Small Things Illuminate The World, and here (all of his books are a joy to read – do try if you haven’t already). I digress.

AI would have it that we like small things for the following reasons:

• Baby schema

• Nurturing instincts

• Sense of control and mastery

• Appreciation of craftsmanship

• Novelty and wonder

• Mindfulness and meaning

For me, the skill on display in the miniature portraits of old is simply mind-blowing. These man-made jewels beggar belief and, as someone inherently cack-handed, make me feel even clumsier. Yet I still seek them out and am overjoyed every time I find a new (to me) stash in a museum.

Creatively, I keep getting drawn back to them, too. Several years ago I created a series mixing my work around misogynistic language with manipulated historical miniatures. More recently, I’ve added rap lyrics with these diminutive likenesses. Why? Because it’s wholly inappropriate. I love a jarring juxtaposition. I daresay there are more iterations to come, for which I apologise (not). Watch this teeny, tiny space.