In a salt-glazing wood-fired kiln, the fire, vaporising materials, and wood ash circulate through the kiln, creating a rich atmosphere. The works are made with specific clay bodies, pigments, slips, and glazes that withstand high temperatures as the atmosphere leaves marks, textures, and glaze coatings on the surfaces ready to receive them. Firing a wood kiln is a collaborative process and a laborious undertaking that is far removed from the fastpaced and instant-gratification orientated digitalised world. The artists’ works showcased in this exhibition have been fired in the wood kiln at IVS between 2006 and 2024. They have materialised as a result of a seamless connection between art, craft, science, and research and create an appreciation of a time-honoured aesthetic.
ATMOSPHERE Sadia Salim