BA (Hons) Ceramics
Slip cast ceramic installations exploring ownership, nostalgia and collection. Ornaments are familiar objects, often reminding us of an older relative's prized collection, lined neatly on sideboards and behind glass cabinets. Commonly made from glass and ceramic they hold the possibility of outliving their owners and precious collections become redundant once they have passed. My work aims to elevate the discarded, forcing the viewer to contemplate the possible owner of a collection through their personal experience of similar items. I have always been fascinated with second hand objects and the idea that something has had a life before my experience of it. It is very important to me that the objects at the starting point of my work have been owned as this gives the possibility that they were once a cherished belonging that is no longer wanted. This body of work is based on curiously shaped Avon perfume bottles made in the early 1970's and explores nostalgia and sentiment, as well as creating a false history for the viewer to explore. Through the creation of a mould functional perfume holders are given new life as pure white ceramics; the absence of colour in my pieces signifies the absence of the owner and through removing the colour, transparency and function only the memory of the shape remains. Once cast, the shapes become a symbol of what they once were, highlighting the absence of the original form and therefore the original owner. website: www.joannamires.co.uk studio blog: www.joannamires.tumblr.com *current show: FUTURE MAP 11 - http://futuremap.arts.ac.uk* 12th of January - 5th February 2012 Zabludowicz Collection, Chalk Farm. Two new arrangements have been made specially for the exhibition an there's great work from 29 other artists on show as well! Come along!