The sensorial dimensions of clay: A dialogue between the science and practice of making in clay

Huson, David; Budden, S

Abstract

Clay is a material that has been used by mankind for almost 20,000 years to make objects ranging from small figurative or utilitarian pots, figurines, bricks, pipes and loomweights to large architectural structures such as the Sankore Mosque in Timbuktu, or the Wall of China. The pervasiveness of its uses even in modern day becomes clear when one considers that between half and two thirds of the world’s population still lives or works in buildings made with clay.

Thanks to the Material Sciences we have a solid understanding of the properties of clay and its use in construction and manufacturing contexts is ever increasing. Likewise, its malleability and ability to interact with other materials in interesting ways has made clay one of the primary media for artists to work with. While science and art impact each other in a myriad of ways, these linkages are often unspoken and unacknowledged. It is therefore the purpose of this workshop to vocalize how different scientific techniques interface with artistic dimensions and how, in turn, this interaction shapes the objects’ meaning in society.

Citation

Huson, D., & Budden, S. (2012, March). The sensorial dimensions of clay: A dialogue between the science and practice of making in clay. Paper presented at The Poetics and Physics of Clay: Diverse Approaches to Materiality, University of Manchester

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: The Poetics and Physics of Clay: Diverse Approaches to Materiality
• Conference Location: University of Manchester
• Start Date: Mar 14, 2012
• End Date: Mar 14, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 8, 2019
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: sensorial dimensions, clay
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/953742
• Publisher URL: http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/cidra/events/cidracollaborations/the-poetics-and-physics-of-clay/