WOOD & SOIL
Ceramic Carpentry
In nature, the soil serves as the mold for the tree
planted in it and nourished by it. By contrast, in
this project, this relationship is reversed - the
tree leaves its mark on the soil planted in it and
shaped by its properties.
Wood and Soil combines the world of ceramic
casting with woodworking. The process begins
in the woodshop, when diverse and complex
wooden molds replace the traditional plaster
molds. Woodworking technologies leave their
mark on the molds, affecting the shape and
texture of the ceramic elements.
The spirit of the project is a re-examination
of the world of ceramic casting with a fresh
look, setting it apart from the accepted,
traditional way of casting. The plaster molds
are replaced with wooden molds processed
by using various carpentry techniques. My
intention was not to develop a better or
more correct technique for ceramic casting
but rather to devise a new way of creating
ceramic elements with diverse performance
capabilities. This different route of production
has involved a variety of carpentry tools, which
have opened up a new horizon of creativity for
ceramic castings. The wisdom embedded in
the wood making technologies; the language
of carpentry in ceramic casting; the flexible
ability to create, change and even improvise
in case of a wrong move; all these qualities
have made the process full of fun and joy, and
added a fresh feeling of playfulness.
Process
