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31 August / 06 October 2024
TATTS
Material Agency
Material Agency is a series of sculptural ceramic vessels constructed using the traditional mosaic practice from a contemporary perspective.
Tatt’s interest in new materialist theories informs the technique of assembling multiple tesserae or cut and refined ceramic tiles. With further development of this technique, the physicality of individual assembly of tesserae has created more abstract forms holding precarious energy, movement and pattern.
In practise using hyper fixation as a perceptive and making strategy, the individual tesserae tile considers their relationship and action. Therefore creating a dynamic where each individual is dependent on others to create full form.
To create works that focus on New Materialist theories, Tatts creates contemporary vessels combining and associating with mosaic technique and ceramic process.
Cultivating the craft-based relationships between the maker, their tools and materials develops a strong connection with the technical based process of building these precarious structures.
The clay tesserae are cut in a traditional Venetian style and assembled using coloured slip to further highlight the agency of material. Using the process of mosaic assemblage, more commonly associated with tile, grout and cement, instead to be swapped with clay, slip and glaze. This adds further dimension to traditional mosaic to create standing structural sculptures.
Occasionally using experimental glazes to demonstrate the compounds of silicas amorphous material process through firing and vitrification. This study focuses on the microstructure particles within the individual tesserae forms that create and determine the form of matter. Each sculptural piece is fired at a specific programmed temperature to reach ideal vitrification to melt the form into sculptural vessels.
