Nadire Gokmen BA (Hons) Three Dimensional Design 2020

Fascinated by both materials and surface, my process led practice is inspired by observations of our man made, material environment. The urban landscape is simultaneously dotted with traces of our presence in, and separation from nature. Orange hues that stream the exteriors of steel, to darkened stains on a wall that suggest the recurring passage of water exist now, as traces, that physically display an action or the progression of time.

The duration of my final year has been spent developing a process that allows the rusted surface of steel to be directly transferred onto clay. This process works by balancing the use of rusted steel and a plaster mould. The hollow plaster mould is placed over the steel and clay slip is poured inside; the excess clay is then syringed out of the form. Once dry the clay lifts away from the steel with its rusted surface and when fired rusts ephemeral patterns are made permanent on the clay body.

My final collection,Sections, will consist of a series of ceramic objects, cast from sheets of steel which have been fixed to various surfaces around Manchester. These steel sheets enable the capture of marks that would otherwise be left unnoticed. Brought out of their original environment, and into a curated space, the ceramic objects elevate these mundane marks. The architecturally influenced forms carefully balance the smooth surface of high fired clay with a heavily patterned rust transfer.