artists object project exhibition 5th September - 31st October (now finished) but plans are afoot for a possible event where my 9 plates  are used for a blousy cake tea party.......further developing ideas of 'display versus function'   












top of cabinet for 'shift'

made in collaboration with matt hulse and helen kalmijn for 'artist object project'.

fragments of ceramic pieces and coal dust are animated through the force of sound. discreet hidden speakers are fixed under fragments and dust transmitting audible tones and sound waves causing  particles to dance and shift.






shift sound timeline by Matt Hulse

sound recorded at Nantgarw ( A470 traffic sound )






have a look at  artist Keith Harrison and his performance ceramics on the Slowcoast website










exhibition now installed and looking well.. now its time to take time to reflect on the work and the experience of working in ceramics....



artist object project
micheal cousins. catherine bertola.deirdre nelson+matt hulse

artists responses to ceramics from national museum of Wales
5th September - 31st October 2009

brecknock museum and art gallery
captains walk
brecon
powys, wales








coal being vibrated by sound









as he shut the kiln he said 'its in the lap of the gods'









glazing plates with the expert help of Matt Thompson



plate by Jule Jenckel


plate designed for arguing couples who want to throw pieces of crockery at each other. already broken so it means you dont have to use your best dinnerware ..


ceramics and superwoofers


I am very lucky to be collaborating with two very talented Matts on the artist object project



In addition to creating 9 plates ....

we will be creating a work with the ......
'intention to animate fragments of ceramic and coal dust through the invisible force of sound... discreet hidden speakers will be fixed beneath fragments.... these will transmit a variety of barely audible tones and sound waves, causing them to jiggle, dance and shift ' words of matt hulse

....so i am stepping from textiles to a whole new world of ceramics and superwoofers which is very exciting but equally daunting in the lead up to the exhibition.

i have been thinking alot about collaboration and found this relating to architecture...

'collaboration is the making of a relationship not an object.. although it sounds obvious to say it, collaboration is about difference, otherwise why bother?. ..acknowledging difference opens up a space to recognise what you didnt know, what you do know and what you didnt know you knew: this is the substance of collaboration far more so than the material outcome that may or may not result'

Build the relationship first, then identify the differences, then create the space









William Billingsley AKA Bealey ( an alias Billingsley travelled under )









'possibly the most beautiful of British porcelain was also the shortest to remain in production and technically the least successful'






  • most beautiful


  • shortest to remain in production


  • technically least successful




nantgarw coal mine



'the nantgarw scheme was designed to exploit important reserves for coking coal on the south crop of the South Wales coalfield.. this part of the coalfield has been the scene of many dissapointments and failures and the grave of the reputation of more than one mining engineer '................
there had been many dissapointments and failures in the making of nantgarw china also many years before
...









Nantgarw vilage declined with the building of the A470 motorway in 1969 which destroyed the traditional village. The A470 is a major long distance connective spine road in Wales running from Cardiff on the south coast to Llandudno on the north coast . The A470 runs alongside Nantgarw china works museum and possibly many of the china shards were discovered when the motorway was built..



















I have just had a great few days in Cardiff at Glamorgan university making plates with Ceramic artist Matt Thompson. It has been really interesting for me to understand the process and whats involved. I am amazed at the time and skill involved and of the potential failure / success in the making of ceramic work
.
a mass produced plate cast to create a mould to make some hand made plates