‘Kuragama-a’, 2021

A still from a thermal imaging camera showing a group of people in front of a very hot car

An experimental project developed with the 47-2 Collective for the Biennale Internationale Design, Saint-Etienne.

Inspired by the story and forms of the Accolay Pottery in central France, I led a one-week practical workshop for a group of artists. Collaborative pieces, multiples, and textures made from scrap-yard findings all contributed towards the bold body of work.

A man holds a ceramic vase in front of an old car filled with more ceramics

A woman paints a pot with ceramic glaze. Two more glazed pots sit to the side

These works were then fired in a bespoke Fiat 600 car-kiln, made by the collective. The firings were documented (inc the amazing thermo camera), and the captured footage and images were exhibited alongside the physical ceramic works at the Biennale in April 2022.

Thanks to: Excellando (Alexis de Raphelis et Benoît Verjat) and everyone at 47-2.

Kurugama is the Japanese contraction of kuruma 車 / car and anagama 穴窯 / "oven-hole", a lying wood oven used in Japan in the manufacture of terracotta objects. On the occasion of this collective moment, a car becomes an oven in which clay pieces are baked, some of which are fashioned from spare automobile parts.

47-2 Collective

A black and white photograph showing old two cars outside a venue with a sign saying ‘CALTEX’

Links:

An art gallery with ceramic artworks on the wall and floor

Previous project

‘Verso Nuovi Canoni’ (‘Towards New Canons’), 2019

Corvi Mora Gallery, London curating a group show of prominent makers from the UK. Shown at ICA Milan

'Faith in the Miraculous' mural at the bottom of the new University of Warwick building

Next project

‘Faith in the Miraculous’, 2022

Large-scale mural exploring the sharing of ideas and knowledge for The University of Warwick’s new Arts & Humanities building