Adi Toch

Meijome, Sonia Marina

Metalworker

©Adi Toch

©Ben Pollard

©Nicola Tree

©Uri Cohen

©Matt Ashford

Making metal sing

In 2021, Adi received an important commission from The Gilbert Collection
Her work appears in many museum collections, including the V&A
A passionate teacher, she enjoys passing on her knowledge

Adi Toch fell in love with metal at the age of 14 when she spent a summer working as an apprentice to a jeweller. She pursued metalwork at the Bezalel Academy of Arts, but soon found jewellery’s dependency on the body rather limiting. She started to work on larger metal objects instead, with particular interest in vessels. She came to London in 2007 to study for an MA at The Cass and decided to make the city her home, drawn to its history, multiculturalism and versatility. Exploring the communicative abilities of metal, her work draws inspiration both from history but also investigates contemporary concerns.

Interview

©Isabelle Busnel

©Uri Cohen

Why did you fall in love with metal as a teenager?: I was completely taken by the alchemy of metal, of turning solid into liquid, and the use of fire as well as the processes of shaping the material. Metal may be perceived as rigid but it is in fact a very communicative, malleable material. If you treat it well it sings back to you.
What are you trying to express with your work?: I try to provoke thinking about the relationships we form with objects around us. Vessels are an innate method of communication for me, conveying different narratives – the internal space of an empty vessel contains everything or nothing, depending on our perception.
Do you find inspiration in your upbringing?: Yes, my work is deeply connected to my childhood and regular visits to the museum in Jerusalem with my parents sparked my interest in art. The objects I make are often inspired by the forms of ancient Mediterranean archaeological objects.
What do you get out of teaching metalwork?: One of the most remarkable things about craft is the way it has been passed on from one generation to another and I’m happy to be a part of it. I also learn from my students.

Adi Toch is a master artisan: she began her career in 2009 and she started teaching in 2012