That's Why They Call It A Ribcage

Suffering from Anxiety and Depression for many years, I became frustrated with the condition. I often wish there was a way to escape this state of mind. I started working with the motif of a ribcage as a metaphor for the containment and restriction I felt within my body. I found myself drawn to ceramics as it gave me the freedom to play with the design. Each has been made the same way but throughout the cutting and drying process, they bend and fall in different ways. Some are also cracked, chipped and scratched.  This gives character to each ribcage, symbolising the different levels of mental illness’.

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The plant is important within the piece; the ivy is known for being resilient. Ivy escapes through the gaps defeating the purpose of the cage of self-imprisonment and giving a form of hope. As the ceramics became functional as vessels for the plant, the design became more abstract. Hanging in the space, they give a powerful message of freedom and opportunity as some of the ivies intertwine, uniting with one another.

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Due to the pandemic, there has been no physical show as of yet. The images below have been taken within my studio throughout developments processes. Within the next few months, I will hopefully be able to have a physical degree show to professionally display these pieces.