Anthropogenic Vase

Anthropogenic: (chiefly of environmental pollution and pollutants) originating in human activity influence on nature.

This stoneware vase, made in my studio here on the Pembrokeshire coast, has been created as part of a collection of work titled “Under The Sea”.

The “Under The Sea” body of work considers the impact of global warming and coastal erosion. It seeks to draw people’s attention to the impact of these issues through creating pieces of work with biophillic designs encrusted with coastal flora, crustaceans and cascading rocks formations.

A report from Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales mapped the effects of global warming, rising sea levels and coastal erosion in Wales, it was published a couple of years ago highlighting coastal areas at risk and influenced the thought process behind this collection of work. It is our human activities that have led us to this pivotal balance resulting in Earth’s environmental changes that impact us all.

The architecture of its form stems from 17th century Delft tulip vases created in Holland at a time when ‘tulip mania’ took hold over a three year period accelerating the price of a tulip bulb to extraordinary high levels. Reflecting the popularity of tulips, Dutch ceramicists started to create elaborate vases and towers with hand thrown tubes to display tulips. These grand vases, usually blue and white, displayed hand decorated images reflecting the opulence of this short lived era.

This towering piece, that stands 73cms high, is made of three hand thrown sections, with the main body split by a cracked seam that when opened reveals a lustrous contrasting red interior. The sculptural vase has sixteen thrown tubes that resemble living designs such as arteries or coral tubes but also reflect man made chimneys that emit pollutants that are part of the problem that are killing coral reefs and causing global warming. The structure is covered with cascading  rock formations, crustaceans and coastal flora to create the  biophillic design that plays on the imagination of my work being lost to the seas as a result of rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

Multiple firings have been undertaken to create the depth of coastal tones from deep dark blacks and aventurine to softer greens, turquoise, blues and greys. During the final firing gold detailing has been added to each of the tubular forms and angular rock formations, along with a striking red lustrous interior.

From the 8th and 16th November 2024, Anthropogenic Vase is being exhibited as part of the Cass Art Prize 2024 at the Copeland Gallery, London. Click here to view the exhibition brochure

https://www.cassart.co.uk/thecassartprize-exhibition-brochure/

Height: 73cms

Depth: 30cms

Clay: stoneware

Technique: hand thrown, slab work, embellished with individual sculptured forms

External glazing: black, aventurine, turquoise, grey, cobalt blue, gold

Internal glazing: red

Price: please contact Richard

To view the “Under The Sea” collection of work in the online gallery click the link below:

Under The Sea Collection

Watch the video

A short video that shows the sculptural vase displayed with sixteen red parrot tulips.