Earth|Atmosphere

I recently went to Earth|Atmosphere at the Bilston Craft Gallery, which is part of The Shape of Things. The geolinear ceramics by Halima Cassell were each made of clay from a different country and set up so that each connected to the next through a series of holes and gaps built into the piece. I thought this was a really elegant way of evoking the ideas of belonging and home soil, but also the interconnectedness and diversity of our communities. They were incredibly beautifully crafted and she had constructed a mirrored plinth so that the bottom of each piece was visible which was a lovely touch.

The "Atmosphere" element was provided by Seiko Kinoshita whose woven textiles evoked days of rain and sunshine. These installations were a witty reference to the obsession we Brits have with the weather, expressed using traditional and distinctive Japanese methods. They were really striking pieces that you wanted to run your hands through or stand in the middle of. She provided a few samples of her yarns and woven pieces for handling, and I don't think there was anybody who could resist them. They were hand dyed paper-based yarns that really made me want to go to her workshop but alas, I couldn't make it. ( I also couldn't find a good picture of Seiko's work at the gallery so I chose a different one from her website...)

The exhibition is on until July 10th.