From Ash to Glaze | Yasmin Smith | Seine River Basin, 2019

Filmed at the Paramatta Artists' Studios in Rydalmere, New South Wales, Yasmin Smith shares the thinking and process behind her installation 'Seine River Basin' (2019) in the MCA Collection, which was commissioned for 'Cosmopolis #2: Rethinking the Human' at the Centre Pompidou. Smith’s work reveals the unique chemical traces in the environment through sculptural forms that reflect the history, ecology and geology of specific sites.
For 'Seine River Basin', she made moulds out of tree branches collected from the River Seine, River Marne and Saint-Denis Canal, to produce ceramic replicas, each applied with glazes made from the ashes of the particular wood. The varying wood ash glazes and the colours and finishes they produce represent the range of different elements in the landscape - some naturally occurring, others introduced into the environment through human, industrial and cultural activity. Presented as part of the exhibition 'MCA Collection: Perspectives on place'.

[@simonebertino8600]

Great work. All my respect for your deep connection between clay and ash

[@bobm2331]

Fascinating results. I tried mixing ash with a clear mid range glaze as just a whim. Fired in oxidation, electric kiln. Results were almost none existent. Nothing scientific about my test. Your attention to detail would certainly result in very formal academic work. Thanks for taking the time to explain so clearly you work.

[@killgazmotron]

all the time i'm learning how important just regular old fire ashes are to history. From what almost everyone thinks would just be a totally useless waste product, you can use to manufacture a crude artificial concentrated fertilizer, A primary ingredient for the production of black powder, it can be used as a sort of soap, or refined into better soap. you can make mortar and cement out of it. And now i find out it can glaze pottery. (recently just read china figured this out thousands of years ago). Ash is so useful. If you ever find yourself in an apocalypse, dont throw away your ash. Its like one of the most important ingredients to human history.

[@marchawley8002]

The Y shaped sticks are not reflected properly in the Paris exhibit.

[@lamardon9723]

That's really myopic of you. Here she is, doing chemical analysis of ashes at a level worthy of a doctorate, and you nitpick over something so trivial as a 100% mirror image.