HEARTH
at The Arc, Winchester, An installation and exhibition Sep - Nov 22
A delicate mass looms over The Arc’s Atrium. it’s made of 250 hollow ceramic boulders that have been smoke-fired and arranged as if breaking away from a nucleus. HEARTH is a site-specific installation, that acknowledges the precarious nature of our relationship with the earth, the need to collectively bring about positive change, whilst simultaneously celebrating the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
The boulders are symbolic of our home, the Earth. Home is where the heart is, yet our home perhaps no longer feels safe to us, sure footing is no longer guaranteed. HEARTH is an invitation to question our place within the natural world and how we can contribute to its healing; firstly acknowledging the part we have played in its current struggle, recognising that as a collective of voices we gain agency for positive change, and as a mass of voices, we have the potential of healing the nucleus and reconciling with the vastness of nature.
Each of the 250 boulders was made by hand. They were fired twice, first in an electric kiln, and then smoke-fired in a large barrel with tea, coffee and salt to enhance colour variation. The smoke firing process is totally unpredictable. Each piece that comes out is unique and cannot be repeated.
