Output details

Poet of Residue (solo exhibition)

Poet of Residue originated 19 new works, which extended Brownsword’s on-going examination of the social, cultural and economic implications of decline in North Staffordshire’s ceramic industry. Brownsword’s innovative regeneration of the archaeology of ceramic manufacture aims to elucidate the unsung knowledge of a culture of labour displaced by technology and global outsourcing. Fragments unearthed from a landscape bearing centuries of ceramic manufacturing discard, along with clay by-products salvaged from existing skilled practices were re-formed into another state of permanence via their resubmission to the kiln, offering new insights into ‘the transformative fabric of clay and its potency as a register of human experience and historical change’ (Whiting, 2008). Works were partly developed at the International Ceramic Research Centre, Denmark (2007). Here Brownsword’s experimental research parodied the kiln failures evidenced in 18th century ‘wasters’, offering fresh insights into the early ceramic industries pioneering endeavours in perfecting standardised production. Poet of Residue’s unique recording of ceramic manufacturing history positioned Brownsword ‘as one of Britain’s most radical and searching ceramic artists’ (Whiting, 2008).

The research underpinning Poet of Residue has been broadly disseminated through publications, national / international events, and has received critical commentary from eminent art/craft scholars. Its significance as original creative research is demonstrated through the re-curation of artefacts for exhibition at prestigious international institutions. The British Ceramic Biennial’s Award Exhibition (2009) initiated a reconfiguration of works from Poet of Residue into one installation Elegy, which was nominated by the Crafts Council to represent Britain in the Second European Triennial of Ceramic and Glass, Belgium, (2010/2011). Elegy was acquired for the V&A’s contemporary ceramics collection (2011) as Brownsword’s ‘most eloquent work to date’ from his ‘ground-breaking practice’. Other Poet of Residue works were purchased by Marc Grainer one of America’s foremost ceramic collectors, and the National Public Arts Council Sweden (2009).