• Search Icon
  • Toggle Menu
  • Close Menu

The Art

Search for information about all the works of art and craft we have donated to museums

Dust, V (Time for Waste) (2018)

Sam Bakewell

Parian clay

Nottingham City Museums & Galleries

© Sam Bakewell. Photo credit: Marcus Leith

Details

Classification:

Craft, Ceramic

Materials:

Parian clay

Dimensions:

3.2 x 17 x 11.3 cm

Credit:

Presented by the Contemporary Art Society, through the Omega Fund, 2019/20

Ownership history:

Purchased from the Corvi-Mora Gallery, London by the Contemporary Art Society, through the Omega Fund, 25 February 2020; presented to Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, 2020
Sam Bakewell works predominantly with clay exploring the relationship between making, creativity and mental health. Bakewell believes in the power of clay to reveal our subconscious by engaging with the material while letting the mind wander. Growing up in a small village in Somerset, Bakewell spent many hours digging up clay in his garden. Taking evening classes with his father from the age of 8, he followed whatever path he could to continue to use clay. His practice explores the expansive formal possibilities of clay through a self-critical and autobiographical approach. He dissects the role of the maker, the objects made, and the cultural/aesthetic value systems bestowed upon them.

For the Dust V and Dust IV pieces, Bakewell used the shavings from fine-sanding his works transforming the detritus into new work. Firstly, the dust is sieved, fired and sieved again. Then it is arranged in neat piles on small, compact blocks which are then fired to set. Bakewell achieves a variety of effects with the dust, some piles are slightly clumped while others remain a fine powder. It is a playful manipulation of material creating a sense of vulnerability through the illusion that the dust could be blown away. The Dust pieces are deceptively fragile highlighting Bakewell’s skill as a ceramicist. The colours are carefully considered pairing bright colours with pastel and dark powders. The sculptures almost resemble a painter’s palette with mounds of pigment neatly arranged.

Nottingham City Museum has a large collection of pottery including 18th century Wedgwood ceramics and 20th century studio pottery, but contemporary ceramics are under-represented. Bakewell’s acquisition reflects the innovative and more conceptual making of today’s ceramic artists and makes connections with other parts of its collection, including contemporary textiles and sculptural installations.

This image may be shared and re-used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (CC BY-NC-ND). Any further use will need to be cleared directly with the rights holder.

Read our copyright policy for more information.

Artworks by Sam Bakewell

Browse more relevant artworks.

You Might Also Like

Placeholder

Untitled (2003)

Purchased through the Contemporary Art Society Special Collection Scheme with...