Eremites

Men of Knowledge series (2026)

Burnished clay mask, lacquered paper, cotton rope.

25x15x10 cm

Inherently, the process of mask-making is one which unmasks the self. To begin with, a plaster cast of the performer’s face is made, which serves to shape each iteration to their likeness, The choice of subject is instinctive to the wearer, the object being an extension of their own character, with its chimaeric qualities both produced and pieced apart by intensive reflection.

Eremites, the Hermit, is the archetypal loner, whose self-inflicted solitude indulges a form of madness that corroborates the vow of asceticism they have taken. It is the first in a series of archetypal, mythical faces—not pertaining to any specific individual, but calling to mind so many.

Vis-À-Vis

Vis-À-Vis series (2026)

Decorative clay tiles, burnished and gilded.

15x15x1,5 cm

These decorative tiles were greatly inspired by the dynasty of the Gewisse, the descendants of Cerdic who ruled over Wessex during the tail-end of the first millenium AD, fought off viking raiders, and believed both in the Roman faith and their Celtic forebears’ heathen ways.

They are (from bottom to top) Alfred the Great, Saint Walburga, King Ecgbert, and Wuna of Wessex. Simple, geometric faces frame eyes that are both detached and knowing; it is yesterday’s gaze that seems to know tomorrow’s sights.

Tokens

Statuettes (2026)

Small clay figurines, burnished.

5-10 cm in height

Tokens, in the vain of guardians or household spirits, convey certain promises based on the role they play. The Mother protects her child, the Warrior stands steadfast, with shield in hand, the Servant kneels in obedience, the Knight holds tightly to the reigns of his steed, and the Farmer, plain though he seems, is a gregarious soul, and worthy of trust.

They are the figures of our daily lives, shades of people we know. Sometimes, a person will stand out. They are then enshrined, in a rough-hewn way, to encapsulate more than the person themselves can be. Precisely because they manifest our desires, it is as a token of our gratitude that they are carved again out of clay.