Tile Installation at IGCA

I made about 50 tiles for an installation at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art in Anchorage, Alaska, as part of a group show with three other artists associated with the University of Alaska Anchorage. Curated by Esther Hong, the ceramic work installed in IGCA’s Guest Room ranged from figurative work to investigations of space, decoration, and shadow.  My tiles, sold individually, formed a network of shadows on the wall behind.

process

Using three clay bodies, I rolled slabs and carved each of the tiles separately, photographed the individual tiles once they were fired, arranged their proxies using Adobe Illustrator, and finally hung them from a perforated shelf in the gallery using monofilament and the help of some very patient friends and IGCA volunteers.

The porcelain, stoneware, and very dark high-manganese clay bodies, unglazed, have a texture similar to cast iron. I really enjoy working with the raw, fired clay because of its texture, the tiny gems of glass that appear on cut facets, and the fact that every mark I make appears in the finished piece. Every crack and flaw are magnified by the high temperatures of the firing, but I appreciate that every piece has a visible history.