Artist Statement
Making everyday objects that are typically mass-produced may seem like an irrational act. For me, it is a rebellion against disconnection and anonymity. I make objects that create connection through the daily rituals of eating and drinking. My cups live in your house; they clutter your cupboards and countertops. My bowls hold your homemade soups and your midnight ice cream. But they are not mute objects, they tell you my stories.
Clay is the perfect medium for telling stories. In its raw state it records every touch. Heat transforms it into an archival material through which the past speaks to the present. When you use my vessels, your fingers touch where my fingers touched. Your lips feel my words as you drink. I imprint the surface with handwritten stories of my family, collected from letters, photographs, conversations, and my own imaginings. The text is broken up by texture created from found household textiles and custom stencils based on imagery relevant to my stories—hometown road maps, a favorite flower, a rendering of a DNA molecule. I imagine my vessels creating connection long after I have made them, telling my stories and inspiring new conversations and stories every time they are used.
Clay is the perfect medium for telling stories. In its raw state it records every touch. Heat transforms it into an archival material through which the past speaks to the present. When you use my vessels, your fingers touch where my fingers touched. Your lips feel my words as you drink. I imprint the surface with handwritten stories of my family, collected from letters, photographs, conversations, and my own imaginings. The text is broken up by texture created from found household textiles and custom stencils based on imagery relevant to my stories—hometown road maps, a favorite flower, a rendering of a DNA molecule. I imagine my vessels creating connection long after I have made them, telling my stories and inspiring new conversations and stories every time they are used.
© Copyright 2022, Mariana Baquero. All rights reserved.
