The intrinsic connection between the earth and pottery through clay is investigated throughout a variety of pieces. Of note, Richard Batterham's glazed work coupled with Xiang Yang's homogeneous melted pottery pieces forced the viewer to acknowledge their own connection with clay. Either through the organic sourcing of materials in Batterham's work or the soft movement of Yang's, denoting pottery as innately human, fragile yet sturdy.
This link to the inherent humanity of clay feels reminiscent of The Physical Self (1992) an exhibition by Peter Greenaway which explored the link between the art and the artist, showing fingerprints within historic pottery. Marking a clear link between humanity and creative production. Vital when considering its future.
Clay, by its very nature, holds memories and tells stories.
I found Lady Kitt's work felt visually disjointed from the rest of the exhibition. Posing the question: has the prioritization of recycling been at the cost of aesthetics? Clay, by its very nature, holds memories and tells stories. From the paw prints visible within Pompeii tiles to the scripture scrawled across mugs, wishing sons safety within the mines.
I found there was something deeply charming about Paul Scott's work and truly enjoyed the almost secretive images of power plants and caravans hidden within. The classically designed Spode-esque plates reminiscent of Delft tiles. This contemporary approach to a historical style is both topical and humorous.
I also greatly enjoyed Wolfgangs Weilder's ceramic sculpture comprised of aeroplanes stacked upon one another in an abstract boat configuration- a reference to Newcastle's shipbuilding industry? The repeating motif and terracotta construction feels reminiscent of the local architecture and are a nice nod to the Northeast’s pottery trading history.
Overall, I believe this exhibition explores the environmental costs of clay whilst exhibiting the beauty still available to be explored within the medium.