Sustainable Clay explored the environmental impact of this naturally occurring material. Potters and artists have long valued clay for its connection to a particular place, the very earth beneath our feet, but they are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of this material. From industrial mining to international transportation, the toxicity of glaze ingredients to the intense energy and heat required every time the kiln is fired, contemporary artists are questioning the sustainability of clay and adapting their work in response.
All of the contemporary artists in this exhibition have a link to the North East of England, through study, teaching, residencies or commissions. This reflects the important role of Newcastle University’s Fine Art Department as a centre for ceramic creativity and innovation. The North East provides a special context – a place where the industrial production of ceramics once thrived due to plentiful supplies of coal, where clay that was dug up as a by-product, and the waterways and railways then transported raw materials and finished products around the globe. Clay continues to be a global commodity and sustainability is now a global concern.
The artists featured in this exhibition are taking an experimental approach to clay as a sculptural material while striving for sustainability within their creative processes. Some are digging local clay to work with or finding more sustainable ways to fire their kilns, others are no longer firing their clay or choosing not to glaze their work, and some are using their ceramic skills to work with alternative materials. Sustainable Clay featured specially commissioned video interviews, filmed in the artists studios by Jason Thompson along with an introduction from North East writer and historian Michael Chaplin.
The exhibition concept and contemporary works were curated by Matthew Jarratt, Visiting Professor of Creative Practice at Newcastle University and the project was a creative collaboration with Esmie Whittaker from North East Museums who researched and curated works from the Laing and Shipley Art Gallery’s outstanding ceramics collections.
