LockdOwn
“Lockdown” is a series of porcelain of vessels created to capture the emotions felt during this global experience. Each pot holds its own connection to the time and portrays a different experience. With marks taken from the garden where the artist was in “lockdown” the pots spread out to capture the wider publics experience. Working as a physical reminder of the time and a justification of the emotions felt by many at the time.
Isolation.
The solitary mark embodies how many felt isolated at this time. Lockdown was an excluding time for many both physically and mentally. As many were separated from friends and families, for a time that did not seem to have an end. This was a strong emotion that proved difficult to shift and ever present for many.
“It didn’t take much to stop the world.”
It is a surreal thought to think that something we could not hear, see or smell, brought our lives to screeching halt. We sat and watched as nature continued on without us, as our everyday routines changed almost over night.
The title of this piece is personal to the artist, as it was a phrase often heard in her household throughout lockdown.
Uncertainty.
This pot captures the negative emotions of lockdown. The fear of the unknown as this virus appeared. The unease created by how quickly our lives had altered. The anxiety of how bad things could get and how long this could last. This was a time of fear and uncertainty for many, those who may not have been overly concerned for themselves, worried for others. While there was slight knowledge the virus, there were many blanks in different areas, such as; symptoms, duration, the best way to prevent it, what it really attacked in the body. It was the uncertainty that amplified the fear.
The positive.
While this was a difficult time, it was a shared time. It is not often that everyone goes through such a similar experience globally. We have a new appreciation for one another and for the nature we all missed while stuck inside. Human kindness shone at this time.
Get Creative.
This pot was inspired by how many were motivated to “get creative” at this time. While all at home there was no better time for people to explore there creative side. Taking on new tasks and trying things they had never done before. In this spirit, the maker got her family involved, a group who had little to no ceramic experience. Encouraging them to get involved and try something new themselves while in lockdown.
