Untitled 2020

This untitled sculpture was made by EtchingRoom1, using clay. The material is key here. Clay is so basic, so elemental. It comes straight from the earth, and it’s been used by humans for millennia. You can see the artist has played with the clay’s inherent qualities: its smoothness, its ability to be shaped and molded. The figure looks as though it has been coaxed into being, shaped by hand with simple tools, and then fired to give it permanence. What’s interesting is the contrast between the raw material and the end result. Clay, in its natural state, is humble, but here it’s been transformed into something that resembles a portrait. The artist’s labor is evident in the shaping of the form, the smoothing of the surface, and the simple features that are carved into the clay. This piece reminds us that even the most modest materials, when worked with care and attention, can become something meaningful. It challenges our notions of what art can be, by elevating a common material through skilled making.