Vladka Thwaites
Integration / Disintegration: A Contemplation of Wild Clay
In this work, I explore themes of attachment, surrender and the sense of belonging. I took the opportunity of an isolating lockdown spent in rural Herefordshire to work with raw, wild clay, harvested from a local stream. The final work is a short film, depicting a cycle of clay collection, processing, hand building vessels and surrendering the clay vessels back to the stream. My work drew inspiration from research into devotional Hindu festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, where clay votives of gods and goddesses are lovingly formed, venerated and then offered back to the sea to disintegrate and re-merge with the Earth. My research on local Herefordshire folklore led me to stories of old customs of trapping troublesome ghosts in bottles and throwing them into rivers and pools for safe-keeping. I collated these influences and ideas and formed the wild clay into a collection of bottles to be returned back to the stream. The soundtrack to the film includes tunes from traditional Herefordshire ballads. My intention with this film is to invite the viewer into a reflective and contemplative exploration of the possibilities and beauty of simple mud.
