Fall
Loloma Jewellers Award, in memory of Betty Jackson – $1,000 (Acquisitive)
Annette Bukovinsky
Fall 2020
Porcelain and bitumen
34 x 12.5 x 3.5 cm
About the Artwork
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reports that over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity can be found in forests. The degradation and loss of forests not only threatens the survival of many species but also reduces the essential ecological conditions humanity needs such as clean air, water, soil quality, and climatic regulation. This work explores my concerns for our precious forests and the health of our planet using a medium that is also paradoxically known for its strength and fragility - porcelain.
About the Artist
My practice largely centres on investigating humanity’s relationship with nature and the search for a new ecological philosophy addressing the challenges threatening the vitality of our planet.
Much of my work employs the use of porcelain; it is a material that is known paradoxically for its strength and fragility. It bears witness to its own state of flux and given that a ‘state of flux’ reflects my ecological observations, I believe porcelain has many relatable characteristics that can potentially increase the dialogue regarding the current health of our natural environments.
By utilising techniques of coiling and moulding, I am able to have direct engagement with the clay, enabling a more considered articulation of ideas and concepts. My interest in nonconventional surface applications, such as synthetic paint and bitumen, feeds my desire to explore the nexus between tradition and innovation, and extend the link between structure, surface, and concept.