Elaine Zhong
In Circles
Pottery throwing is a beautiful, anachronistic skill carried out on a potter’s wheel that challenges one’s patience, endurance and hand-eye coordination. The intimacy of wet, smooth clay running along the fingers stimulates one’s tactile sense. The hypnotising spinning wheels creates a silent rhythmic act, drawing the mind and mental energy deeply into the hugely rewarding process of making. The repetition brings me great contentment and pleasure.
The blurred boundaries between craft art and fine art have been a great topic of discussion. They have inspired me to explore the collision of ceramics and sculpture through applying an unconventional method of presentation amongst a variety of handmade, familiar functional objects from our daily lives.
Despite the controversies between craft and fine art, craft brings joy. Craft brings community and craft empowers. By being between an artist and a progressing craftswoman-artist, the hybridity of craft and art is celebrated.
