Top Shelf; Real Life is Not Child Friendly

shown at 'How to Remain' a solo exhibition by Maya Kincaid at The Old Hairdressers, Glasgow April 2017

Birch Ply, Welded Steel, Story Books (Children's Drawings and Written Text, Printed and Saddle-Stitch Bound)

a collection of 6 stories exploring the notion that “Real Life is Not Child Friendly” - the stories observe the real experiences children can be faced with in relation to what is seen as “appropriate” for children to be aware of. all stories are adapted from the real childhood experiences of Maya Kincaid.

there is a top shelf concept where those displayed on the top shelf are semi-biographical stories of events from Maya’s life - the shelf below displays the child friendly adaptation of this story - a core difference between the two versions is that each of the “child-friendly” stories have an added fictional happy ending.

both the top and bottom shelf stories use the same series of illustrations, the only difference being the added pages for the happy endings on the bottom shelf. illustrations are by Elvin Best; books 1/1 and 1/2, Bella Goodwin; books 2/1 and 2/2 and books 3/1 and 3/2 are illustrated in collaboration by sisters Nia and Zuri McAuley.