Mongrel Culture
Learning about the interwoven histories of blue and white ceramic traditions in Europe and China was a starting point for a more experimental approach to my work. The narrative that was emerging more clearly for me at this point related to my identity as a mixed-race Member of the British Empire and ‘the Silk Roads’ in particular.
Dual-heritage plates 2017
I combined different clays to hand build large pots and plates and then experimented with surface decoration using cobalt oxide which has been used to decorate ceramics for at least 2600 years. The work variously references the iconic blue and white traditions of Chinese porcelain from the Tang and Ming dynasties , Dutch ‘Delftware’, English Willow Pattern, Portuguese Azulejos and so on. It also implies a rich history in the trade of goods and cultural exchange between East and West.
Different clays were rolled and bonded together, and then used to make fired work.
Being curious about what happens when different clays and oxides from around the world are put together like this, means that the cracks and imperfections are all of interest.
‘Mongrel’ Platter 2019
‘Post-colonial’ Pot 2019
‘Mixed-Up’ Plate 2019
The invitation is to ‘look again’ and to see something that is both familiar and new. This work is experimental and playful – integrating traditional materials and craft techniques with a modern attitude and aesthetic.
Broader themes implicit in this work include celebrating the diverse heritage of post-colonial Europe and the idea that it is in ‘the holy places where the races meet’(1) and the arguably ‘superior intelligence’(2) of the ‘mongrel imagination’ that the future of a better Europe lies.
Interestingly, when trying to source ‘pure’ clays to represent worldwide clay traditions I learned that potters rarely use a single source for the clay they work with. The quest for purity is neither desirable or easy and most clays are blended into a ‘clay body’. Just as the human gene pool is infinitely mixed so too are our cultural artefacts.
(1)Leonard Cohen (1992) ’ Democracy’ -The Future
(2)Research has shown that mongrel dogs are healthier and more ‘intelligent’ than so called pure breeds BUT please note I’m using this as a metaphor not some sort of pseudoscientific extrapolation .
