A mercurial personality is defined by rapid, unpredictable emotional shifts which pivot from intense enthusiasm to deep cynicism without warning. This body of work explores these fluid states through sculptural forms representing five key moods: Volatility, Irritability, Euphoria, Melancholy, and Capriciousness. Woven from willow, these emotions are housed within suspended cages. The cage acts as an active, high-maintenance defence mechanism. It is a structure built for survival and self-control that simultaneously protects and imprisons what is inside.

Willow itself is a wonderfully mercurial medium, carrying a legacy of fragility and fluid movement. By experimenting with different species, I am testing the natural flexibility and resilience of the fibre, bending and weaving it into metaphors for the delicate complexities of the human mind.

The partial visibility of these moods is intentional: it compels the viewer to move, shifting their perspective to catch glimpses of the interior. As the angle changes, so does the work, mirroring the inherent instability of emotion. This creates a visual experience that is never static.

By hanging the structures from a puppet-style mobile, the piece directly explores the theme of control versus autonomy. The mechanics of the rig suggest that these emotions are not entirely free, but are instead being manipulated by an external force.