Like most of my earlier projects, my focus is on the ‘language’ of the ceramic vessel. I’ve always been drawn to make non functional vessels, that reflect domestic context but also quietly subvert it. The ceramic world is of course deeply interlinked with food, with many historic functional objects sentimentalising the view of meat and dairy products, landscape and farming scenes for example…
So why the title? This is a reference to the fact the history of the domesticated animal (in particular the last 2 centuries in the UK) is very focused on altering, and manipulating the animals over time to suit our requirements through selective breeding.
For quite a while I’ve wanted to respond in some way to our complex relationship with animals, and have explored this a little in previous work that researched taxidermy and museum collections. Of course this is a vast, convoluted and emotive subject; to narrow this down I started to read a little about the history of farming in the UK, and more current articles on contemporary angles, plus relevant websites/social media sites. What became apparent is the propaganda surrounding the portrayal of the domesticated farm animal, conflicting information and very opposing views. The industry uses euphemisms in its language to describe farming and the animals; as a way to disguise the harsh reality, to gloss over what we don’t want to see.
I want these pieces to be more focused on the abstract- familiar(ish) vessels that explore surface layering, textures, discord and opposites, contrasts. Contradictions, slight jarring of the slick and glossy with dark textured surfaces. Altering and distorting the form, cutting into the surface/through the walls of the pieces, forms balancing on small feet or bases. Extremes, glossy seductive colours and textures are included. The text is taken from articles and books; snippets of lines referring to the language of the way the animals are described and their ‘function’..intentionally hard to read it reflects the overwhelming and complex layers of language and texts around the subject of farming and food. I would like them to be quietly unsettling, showing hints of what they reference. I have started with bowls- small scale then larger, and vases. I’m currently exploring jug forms.
Although these are ‘finished’ pieces, the whole project is still very much work in progress and continuing to evolve…I’m planning to develop the surfaces and forms further over the next few months. I’m planning to include some imagery but this is very much at the early stages of development.
