University of Ulster Degree Show 2015

We got the chance to call into the latest degree show at the University of Ulster which is also the last to ever be held at the Orpheus building *insert sad face* 

As always, we were so impressed by the students who managed to get through that notorious final year to produce something tactile and interesting. We can't wait to see what happens next for the emerging talent from York Street, but for now - Well Done!!

We had a great time interacting with the probably not meant to be interactive MFA part of the degree show!

You can't talk about the Degree Show without getting nostalgic! Aaw, memories! #Argillaceous

Of a Person: take down

That was the fastest May ever! Our latest MUD exhibition has came to a close at Space CRAFT in Belfast.

We received such fantastic feedback about the work and set up. It was also a wonderful experience to work with such a well prepared gallery who accommodated us very well.

A huge thank you to all at Space CRAFT and all who made it up that escalator to have a nosy at our ceramics. We are busy planning our next MUD adventure and can't wait to explore our ceramic practice again as a group.

Coinciding with our take down today, our recent interview conducted by Mo McDevitt from NVTV will broadcast this evening at 19:30 on Virgin Media channel 159 and Freeview channel 8. This will repeat during the week also and be available online in the coming weeks! Fingers crossed the TV will be kind.

Some fantastic comments about our exhibition left at Space CRAFT

MUD Interview for NVTV by Mo McDevitt

Wednesday during set up of our exhibition 'Of a Person' we had Mo McDevitt arrive at Space CRAFT to inform us she would be conducting a 'Collapse the box' interview piece on our group and latest exhibition. You can imagine while setting up, which is a little stressful, that when we all received this information we got just a little bit more stressed...

 

Mo works part time with NVTV (Northern Visions TV Belfast) as an interviewer and also is a graduate from the University of Ulster ceramic department, so she knows her stuff! This did not help stress wise.

 

This morning the interview took part in Space CRAFT, all weekend we had individually been preparing as much as we could but the time to talk had arrived and before we knew it, we were chatting away like it was no big deal. Unfortunately one MUD member managed to dodge the stress (CHI) as sadly we will soon be saying goodbye to this crazy fellow MUDian for him to embark upon a journey to find himself somewhere in Europe.

 

We all spoke individually (minus CHI) about what the exhibition meant to us and how our work is formed with its meaning.

 

Thinking about it now, it was all a bit of a blur, at the time I remember thinking AAAAAAAAAHHH but honestly I can't remember if what came out of my mouth made any sense at all! Only time will tell...

 

It will be a few weeks before the piece will be broadcast (Channel 8 Freeview and Channel 159 Virgin Media and also available online) so fingers crossed time will be kind to us all and they didn't focus in too much at my spotty face!

 

 

 

 

 

One MUD member seemed to thoroughly enjoy the interview process, don't worry I'll not say who (GARETH CLARKE) and is even investigating further interview opportunities for MUD?!!

 

PROTEOPATHIC SEEDS from 'Of a Person'

As part of our exhibition, I collaborated with contemporary jewellery artist Robyn Galway to create our PROTEOPATHIC SEEDS. These are brooch pins that are to be worn with the aim to deteriorate.

 

As makers, we found both of us had an understanding and experience of having a relative with Alzheimer's Disease and decided to produce something physical to represent those conversations. All proceeds from our brooch pins are donated in aid of the Alzheimer's Society.

 

I loved working with Robyn, she is an amazing maker and extremely inspiring, I'm looking forward to our next collaborative project as I'm sure there will be many.

 

Here is our little statement explaining the purpose of the brooches and what they represent, hopefully it will give a greater understanding of how this disease begins.

---------------------

Pin brooches in petri dishes; porcelain, plastic & surgical steel.

In medicine, ‘proteopathy’ refers to a type of disease in which certain proteins become structurally abnormal and thereby disrupt the function of cells, tissues and organs of the body. The first abnormal protein cell cluster is referred to as a proteopathic seed. One of the most commonly known diseases that begins this way is Alzheimer’s disease. Slowly, these seeds grow and overtake regular proteins, disrupting the functioning of the brain with their chemical imbalance. Overtime, the brain suffers atrophy, memories are lost and barely physical reminders of the person remain.
Through collaboration, contemporary jewellery artist Robyn Galway and I produced Proteopathic Seed pins as part of MUD’s ‘Of a Person’. Made from porcelain, plastic & surgical steel, these seeds are to be worn with intention to deteriorate – to be shaped by the challenges everyday life brings, slowly losing its structure from the disease being worn externally. The high fired structure of the porcelain is embedded in the plastic, overtime the porcelain will depreciate away, mimicking the decline caused by the seed.
Proceeds from each Proteopathic Seed are donated in aid of Alzheimer's Society.

 

 

 

 

 

Of a Person Opening night at Space CRAFT

 Chi How Tsang - The Rotting Mind

 Chi How Tsang - Dying with everything

 Chi How Tsang - Dying with everything

 Jemma Millen - Proteopathic Seeds

 Opening

 Gareth Clarke - Aspect of Alpha

Gareth Clarke - Thrown stoneware 

 Gareth Clarke - Tramp Stamp & Crippling Honesty

 MUD at Of a Person opening at Space CRAFT

 Jemma Millen - Handbuilt miniature arteriosclerotic hearts

 Jemma Millen - His breathprint handbuilt porcelain lungs

 Jemma Millen Blue arteriosclerotic heart in the window at Space CRAFT

 Opening Of a Person

 Opening Of a Person

 Victoria Bentham - Golden Ladder

 Jemma Millen - Proteopathic Seeds

 Victoria Bentham

 Victoria Bentham Opening Of a Person

 Jemma Millen - Love can leave you breathless, porcelain inhalers

 Jemma Millen Proteopathic Seed detail

 Jemma Millen Proteopathic Seed detail

 Jemma Millen Proteopathic Seed formation

Jemma Millen blue arteriosclerotic heart

 

A HUGE thank you to everyone who attended, and apologies for the lack of images for the opening, it got fantastically busy and we all got a bit preoccupied!

 

Our exhibition 'Of a Person' continues until Saturday 30 May at Space CRAFT, Belfast.

Kiln Disaster!



MUD 2015 Exhibition Of a Person Posters

Our 'Of a Person' exhibition posters are done! Check them out :)

 

 

 

 

Planning Of a Person

Open Minds Degree show 2014

We finally got down the 'Open Minds' degree show at the University of Ulster this week to have a proper look around at the latest talent emerging from the ceramic department.

 

So exciting to return to the space to see it transformed once again. We were so impressed by the amazing range of techniques used throughout the show, always makes an interesting collective.

 

We wish all the ceramicists involved the best of luck and cannot wait to see their next steps as they develop further!

 

 Elaine McCully

 Ashlea Thompson

 

 Ashleigh Lisette Collim

 

 

 Lynsay Erin-Mercer

 

 Sara Williamson

 

 Rhiannon Ewing-James

 

 Kerrie Hanna

Sasha McVey