During my residency I spent several days looking for natural clay in the region of southwest Alentejo, wandering in nature alone. I found different kinds of earth and after separating organic material and stones from the clay particles I mixed the clay-earth-powder with water to see the plasticity and cohesion. I made firing tests and found out that 5 out of 7 „clay bodies“ were actually resisting to high temperature.
- Lousal: White
- Monte de Estrada: Yellow
- Colos: very dark red and brown
- Ferraria: light red
- Praia dos Alteirinhos: light brown
I am fascinated by stones and rocks and the formations they build, the patterns and layers of different types of rocks that were created by tectonic movements. Many years ago, I did a small series of sculptures inspired by rocks and stones and this residency brings me back to this subject looking closely to it, not in a general way but very specifically on the rocks to be found and seen at costa vicentina, the Alentejo cost.
While my walks through nature, looking for clay I decided that I am going to work at the beach, in the physical presence of the rocks. I used the salty water of the Atlantic Ocean to mix the clay powder with. In the final pieces I felt like bringing together different earth types that shape and determine the different landscapes of the region with the ocean. So all the material I am using is natural, I just pick it up with my bare hands and bring it together. The process was very humbling as I realized that the wild clay is extremely fragile and doesn’t hold itself in height so I did small pieces with relatively thin layers, in one of the pieces I used the red clay as an engobe for painting.
