Though the Indigenous inhabitants were using white clay long before them, Sydney-made pottery helped colonists maintain different aspects of ‘civilised’ behaviour.
Clay Stories, a travelling exhibition, showcases ceramic art from Indigenous artists across the country. It is a triumphant display of specific stories and Dreamings, standing against cultural and political amnesia.
When the General Motors Holden factory closes at Elizabeth in October, an Australian icon will no longer be made here. But the Holden has been remade through art.
The world’s landfills are growing, which has prompted the search for new industrial processes that can use everyday waste items in some surprising ways.
We tend to throw away broken things, but the Japanese art of kintsugi – repairing broken ceramics with gold and silver – can give us a different perspective on waste.
Ten years ago, the English Potteries looked to be breathing their last. Their reinvention should bring hope to struggling manufacturing bases everywhere.
Honorary (Senior Fellow) School of Culture and Communication University of Melbourne. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne