Light experimentation with ceramic

Keeping to ideas of the seen and unseen; destruction and restoration; and light refraction.

I experimented with creating patterns with light through the broken yet held together ceramic vessels I had. This cup cracked but held together, making it similar in concept to my framed glass pieces. I like the way light interacts with the cup, and creates lines and reflections from the cracks. I also like the act of keeping hold of an object which was otherwise going to be thrown away.

A mug also broke, and so with this one I thought it would be interesting to try and piece it back together. I was impressed at how easily the pieces fit back together like a jigsaw. The mug had a hole remaining which I decided to make use of.

Putting cups back together in this way reminds me of Yoko Ono’s ‘Mend Piece’ , a restorative show where she invited members of the public to repair the broken ceramics. This is also in line with practices of the Japanese art form Kintsugi, where gold was used to repair broken pottery, and in doing so the pieces became more valuable.