Ceramics are traditionally described using terminology belonging to the human form, giving rise here to comparisons between the two.
These are impossible vessels, work-shy pots, and a mass of contradictions.
They’re awkward, unsymmetrical, appear fragile but have the toughness resulting from survival in adversity.
They suggest usefulness and competence but are unable to function practically, unstable, perforated, pitted, and scarred, worn and marked by time, these pieces look as if they’ve seen something of life.
Although groups of pieces are mutually supportive, individuals will find their own idiosyncratic stability, as we all must.
two sisters, leaning on each other, stronger together
handbuilt porcelain, oxides, underglaze, graphite
tall and elegant, but a little bit unstable, she has to rely on her supports
porcelain, graphite, highfired, handbuilt
the smallest, youngest, and a little spoilt, her neck rim still bears some evidence of her youth despite her scarred, perforated and pitted body
hand-built in high-fired porcelain with underglaze and graphite
supported by a hand forged copper ring
perhaps more a middle sister, more resilient and independent in stature and stance - she bears evidence of her life so far on her surface
handbuilt in porcelain with underglaze and graphite
striving to remain upright, carrying on an appearance of stability and decorum despite her rather battered appearance
handbuilt from high fired porcelain with underglaze. supported by hand forged copper ring
sturdy and reliable but pitted and holed by life experience, her function which was once obvious, is no longer so clear.
porcelain, handbuilt and highfired with underglaze and graphite
handbuilt in porcelain with the delicate edges bound in copper
their history - pitted, scarred, holed, denies them their original function
perforated, and marked by her history, her function has been changed by time and is now obscure.
handbuilt porcelain with underglaze and graphite
two friends, separate but comfortable together, quite different but identifiably from the same group
handbuilt in porcelain, and high-fired with underglaze and graphite
A series of aerial views of the Solway area which are based on the land use and the surface changes caused by farming. From the air, especially in drought times, the original landscape beneath or an older cultivated version become visible. The tiles are made to hang on a wall, to lay flat or be propped up. Working in porcelain allows for a fine finish and tiles are tough though seemingly fragile. Copper is added to give surface details.
Detail from a large landscape tile.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm
Wall hanging tile. Porcelain, copper. and coated copper.
200 x 200mm
Detail from a large landscape tile.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm
Wall hanging tile. Porcelain, copper, coated copper.
200 x 200mm
Detail from a large landscape tile.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm
Wall hanging tile. Porcelain, copper, coated copper. 200 x 200mm
Detail from a large landscape tile.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm
Wall hanging tile. Porcelain, copper, coated copper.
200 x 200mm
Detail from a large landscape tile.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm
Detail from a large landscape tile.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm
A set of nine individual tiles based on the coastal area and the estuary. The area is tidal and low tide exposes great expanses of mud which are a rich feeding ground for birds. Other local features are windfarms, stake nets, seaweed and general detritus and fabulous sunsets. Each tile is 100 x 100 mm. Tiles work in groups or as individual pieces.
A tile made to be part of a landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made to be part of a landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A set of nine individual tiles based on the coastal area and the estuary. The area is tidal and low tide exposes great expanses of mud which are a rich feeding ground for birds. Other local features are windfarms, stake nets, seaweed and general detritus and fabulous sunsets. Each tile is 100 x 100 mm. Tiles work in groups or as individual pieces.
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
A tile made as part of a larger landscape or an individual place.
Black clay, porcelain copper. 100mm x 100mm
These pieces typically reference fragments of past times and their reconstruction into objects suggestive of lost civilizations. They comment on the search for meaning and context by museums and collectors.
Proposal:
A 'Museum of Conjecture' houses a collection of reconstructed pottery. History is a speculative discipline, every broken thing is an opportunity for reinvention and reinterpretation. Putting the pieces together in a new way, or for a new purpose or by adding new or different parts encourages a“Science of the Incomplete” to emerge.
The Curator of 'The Museum of Conjecture' is imaginative and well meaning but may not always have all the pieces necessary for such a venture. Here , the Curator only has diagnostic shards to work with and a few other fragments found at the site; from these it is hoped that an understanding of a lost civilisation might occur. Or not.
porcelain, copper, pearl, flax
porcelain; tools, pile of shards, vessel. 300mm diam x 150mm
porcelain; tools, pile of shards, vessel. 300mm diam x 150mm
porcelain, copper, underglaze. 150mm x 150mm x 30mm
porcelain, flax. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
Porcelain, glass pearls. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
porcelain, copper. 200mm x 200mm x 20mm
Fragile Bowl & Nail. porcelain, iron, with porcelain nail. 200mm diam x 50mm
Mended bowl. porcelain, iron wire, copper wire. 120mm diam
porcelain, copper wire, iron wire, 120mm diam
Porcelain, two pieces. Vessel and shard support. Vessel 100mm diam,
Support 150 mm diam
Porcelain, two pieces. Vessel and shard support and nail.
Vessel 100mm diam, Support 150 mm diam
Bowl & Tool. Porcelain, copper. 120mm diam
Bowl & Tool. Porcelain, copper. 120mm diam
Porcelain. Support, vessel and tools. Support & Vessel 120mm diam
Porcelain. Support, vessel and tools. Support & Vessel 120mm diam
Porcelain. Support with alternative vessel and tools. Support & Vessel 120mm diam
Lid and Base, will invert to produce alternative (more decorated) vessel.
Porcelain, copper. Lid and Base, will invert to produce alternative vessel.
Lid/Base separated.
Shard support & possible skull fragment. Porcelain, oxides. 120mm diam
Shard support & possible skull fragment. Porcelain, oxides. 120mm diam
A series of sculptural pieces loosely based on the unseen and microscopic organisms of life, and of their growth, death, decay and regeneration. These alternative ecosystems are small scale, complex, organised structures which can sometimes be read as visual analogies for the situations or states of mind we experience.
Each object is built from sheets of fine porcelain or earthenware and copper, iron, silver or stainless steel wires and lead. They are tactile, made to be held in the hand for close observation and have intricate moveable parts which respond to vibrations.
a colony of wishes waiting to spread and multiply.
porcelain, copper, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 40mm
100mm x 100mm x 400mm porcelain, copper, pearls, iron
Slightly sinister.
Earthenware, lead, iron. 100mm x 100mm x 200mm
Side view.
Earthenware, iron, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 200mm
Two sides of the same situation.
Earthenware, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 60mm
Desires side uppermost.
Earthenware, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 60mm
Avoided Issues. A head in the sand approach ultimately causing more confusion. Porcelain, iron, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
avoided issues. top view.
A delicate balance - and one that may change. Individual pieces slide through the middle barrier and change the whole situation if the piece is moved.
Porcelain, steel, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm to 200mm
A delicate balance destroyed, a one sided situation
Porcelain, steel, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm to 200mm
A delicate balance. Individual pieces slide through the middle barrier and change the whole situation when the piece is inverted.
Porcelain, steel, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm to 200mm
The situation has altered when seen from another position.
Porcelain, steel, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm to 200mm
Promises well disguised, under control, just a hint.
Porcelain, copper, lead. 100mm x 100mm x 200mm
All promises on show, exhuberant and wild.
Porcelain, lead, coloured copper. 100mm x 75mm x 200mm
Anxious Moments. Delicate, trembling movement.
Porcelain, lead, stainless steel. 100mm x 100mm x 200mm
Anxious Moments. Delicate, trembling movement.
Porcelain, lead, stainless steel. 100mm x 100mm x 200mm
A struggle to survive.
Porcelain, copper, lead. 100mm x 200mm x 600mm
Those grey days when it's difficult to focus.
Earthenware, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
Dark thoughts, tangible and knotty.
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
Dark thought can remain hidden with just a hint of what lies behind them.
Side view, porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
From the base - high hopes with shallow roots - based on a false premise.
Porcelain, copper, lead. 180mm x 180mm x 200mm
Each copper wand moves independently as the whole is moved.
Porcelain, copper, lead. 180mm x 180mm x 200mm
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 30mm
Porcelain, copper. 100mm x 100mm x 30mm
A film starring some of the work from the 'evocative objects' exhibition in sprint mill. A two person show with Victoria Eden.
www.brownfilms.net
www.victoria-eden.uk
Superbly shot by David Brown.
