Potsherds and riverglass; Susan Hiller
I am becoming increasingly interested in the local area, which makes sense since this is the only place I am allowed to visit. I want to investigate the two local streams, collect found clay, understand the history of the area in relation to ceramics/bricksworks, the squatters who resided here, and the subsequent use of the quarries and brickworks as landfill. Fishponds brook is full of old rubbish, bricks, tiles, chimney pots, household ceramics etc. This weekend I scoured the stream bed with my son for interesting river glass, potsherds, and even chocolate wrappers (bizarrely the only modern rubbish we found really found).
I then settled down to read Conversations with Susan Hiller. I hadn’t appreciated one of her founding art projects was investigating potsherds of Pueblo ceramics. I then researched Fragments 76-78 a little more, had a brief look at archeology and how to record or classify findings, having vague ideas to record and classify my potsherds.
I then settled down to read Conversations with Susan Hiller. I hadn’t appreciated one of her founding art projects was investigating potsherds of Pueblo ceramics. I then researched Fragments 76-78 a little more, had a brief look at archeology and how to record or classify findings, having vague ideas to record and classify my potsherds.
Her background in anthropology I suppose is likely to make her more of a collector. Her work is tending to be long term and amassing a group of 'somethings'. E.g Street names in J-project, Postcards in Dedicated to the Unknown artist, pot sherds of Pueblo women.
Hiller produced gouache drawing of the potsherds. I didn’t particularly feel like doing this and even trying to trace outlines and rim diameters could get a bit tedious for me, although could be something to come back to. What I did try was using natural light to make shapes, landscapes, vistas from the river glass fragments. Which I found cathartic (the process) and beautiful (the outcome). I could even consider some kind of light box to display the glass.
Tracing round a found chain
Quick sketch considering a layout for River glass.
Hiller produced gouache drawing of the potsherds. I didn’t particularly feel like doing this and even trying to trace outlines and rim diameters could get a bit tedious for me, although could be something to come back to. What I did try was using natural light to make shapes, landscapes, vistas from the river glass fragments. Which I found cathartic (the process) and beautiful (the outcome). I could even consider some kind of light box to display the glass.
Relevant to my list display. Making thought processes visible to the viewer.
My potsherds
Again cross over between ideas, this is a good example of musuemification of artworks. Ways of displaying collections, with text, analysis, and art ideas (that appear scientific but are not on closer inspection.)
I love this, it is a List about her project!
Hiller says, 'we're not seeing it's (an object) entire history.'
So we have a fragmented view on the world, the object and its place within history.
This is a guide to understand how to document found pottery, drawing outlines, dating, placing the potsherd in the context of a vessel.
Display of potsherds in a museum, not art.
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