‘I enjoy working with the primal material of clay; with its origins rooted in the geology of our earth. The very material it is said we are made from, that we walk upon, and eventually return to, allows me to know and explore this cycle of life.’
Sanderson are pleased to present a new exhibition of works by the award-winning ceramicist Julie Cromwell. Descendants is a new suite of works developed from the artists ongoing research into the historical linage of clay and ceramics, as well as a recent exploration into funerary ware.
The transmutation of clay itself captivates the artist: the material moving through states from mud to clay, to form, through fire to permanence. The work carries marks from the hands of the creator, while being exposed to carbon firing techniques and the rudimental pit. The imbued scars lay bare on the surface of the vessel: traces of their own narrative, and of becoming.
For this series Cromwell drew inspiration from ancient cultures who used ceramic materials to create their funerary ware, in particular the Egyptian coptic jar. Wooden branches and copper wire placed on top of the vessels pay homage to the process of pit firing, whilst referencing the cycle of life.
Cromwell graduated from Derbyshire University, UK, with a major in Studio Ceramics. In 2019 she completed her Master of Fine Arts degree at Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design in New Zealand. Cromwell was the first-prize winner of the Glaister Ennor Graduate Art Awards 2019 and was a finalist in the Richard T Nelson Award in 2022. The artist lives and works in Northland.
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