Kurt Alexander
Ceramicist
Preston, United Kingdom
Coral reefs speaking through clay
- Kurt makes statement pieces from waste material and coral he grows at home
- He achieves his glaze colours from natural elements such as shells and stones
- His work aims to highlight Stoke-on-Trent's ceramic heritage
Kurt Alexander's practice links his passion for ceramics and coral reef keeping, opening up conversations about climate change and the damage done to natural coral reefs. He approaches his work with respect to the environment by using discarded and organic materials. "I was motivated by the amount of waste I witnessed, so I began reclaiming clay and washed off glaze from drains and bins," Kurt says. This sparked his idea of using waste to highlight the reef by recreating the look and feel of coral and bleaching in ceramics. He also draws inspiration from fine art, the past and tradition. Working from his workshop in the historic ceramic city of Stoke-on-Trent, Kurt aims to make his city's history relevant to people today.
INTERVIEW
I grew up watching documentaries about coral reefs, and the damage that I saw struck an interest in me. During Covid-19, after I found out that people can actually grow coral in reef tanks, I did some research and decided to grow my own at home. Today, I have two reef tanks.
My jars reflect the edge of the reef, as it starts sloping and going deep, then falling off sharply into the ocean. I create built-in layers of the coral, followed by coralline algae and then bare rock. My work gives the same feeling upon touching it.
To create bigger structures, I switched from porcelain to stoneware, adding grog to support the weight. As a trained mould maker and slip caster, I had to switch to traditional techniques of potter's wheel throwing and hand building. I also started using pit firing and organic materials to make glazes.
People must learn about the vital role of ceramics in the country's history as it is dying out. This makes me feel really sad: I live in Stoke-on-Trent, which allows me to see its decline first-hand.
Kurt Alexander
Ceramicist
Preston, United Kingdom
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Preston, United Kingdom
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English
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