The overarching theme of this year’s festival exhibition is Natural Connections.
Four sections will feature four practices inspired by the physical world – local and global – by artists Halima Cassell, Jane Perryman, Sian Lester and Carine Van Gestel.
All use clay in its unglazed state, gently handbuilding as Jane Perryman or Carine van Gestel, or dramatically carving in the hands of Halima Cassell. Siân Lester forages for plants to create work with natural dyes.
Taking inspiration from these elemental geological forces Carine Van Gestel, showcases her passion for clay and interprets these in her stretched clay vessels, Borth bowls and unfired wild clay spheres. Siân Lester reflects on the alchemic and symbiotic conditions associated with working with clay, cloth, plant and community, focusing on our entangled relationship with the elements and seasonal rhythms.
Halima Cassell’s recent project Virtues of Unity uses clay sourced from different countries across the globe, with each vessel named after a virtue suggesting connection and unity for all humanity.
> Halima Cassell Virtues of Unity
“We all come from the earth and it’s this same earth that we shall all return to.” – Halima Cassell
In Virtues of Unity, begun in 2009, each of Cassell’s clay sculptures is carved from material sourced from different countries across the globe. For Halima the clay sculptures are a metaphor for the human race.
Can you help ICF source clay for Halima Cassell’s installation Virtues of Unity?
This is a unique opportunity to be a contributor to this celebrated installation work. The installation grows every year and each sculpture is made from clay from a different country in the world. Halima has created pieces from 34 countries so far and is looking to add many more countries this year.
Halima is looking for clean wet clay, 12-16kg and the main ingredient must have been dug from the country to be represented. If this is something you could supply, you can either post it to Halima (marked as a ‘Gift – Artist material’) and she will reimburse you or you can bring it with you to the exhibition (brought in as extra luggage, again any costs would be reimbursed to you). Costs would need to be agreed in advance.
Here you will find a list of the countries included so far and the ones remaining to be claimed: https://www.halimacassell.com/virtues-of-unity-sourced-locations.
More details on the project can be found here: https://www.halimacassell.com/virtues-of-unity.
