The Commons
Air, water and earth are known as The Commons – resources we share in common with other species. This is part of an ongoing project investigating the reciprocal nature of care between people and the planet. With this project I have begun by thinking about the word commons – which coveys the idea of shared ownership. I have created a clay alphabet that can be re-configured to produce new words and new meanings. The ideal of the commons and the use of the word is constantly being re-invented.
I wanted to work directly with material from the earth. Clay has been used by humans since 14,000 BC. Glazing, the process of covering clay with glass, was introduced around 1,500BC. I have been experimenting with different glazes using common elements – iron, copper, flint.
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