Corona in the City

“We are all born wildly creative. Some of us just forget. As children we are completely free. We can draw and dream and invent imaginary worlds, even imaginary friends. This gift of creativity makes us powerful but also awkward, weird, and vulnerable. At some point and for various reasons, our weirdness becomes less an asset than a target. We learn to hide our great and goofy qualities in order to dodge criticism and assimilate.”

James Victore, Feck Perfuction, 2019.

Pedestals of Clay is a workshop created by Lily Lanfermeijer. During the workshop at Framer Framed, Romaisae Boukalil; Finja Bertrang; Soung Paing Khant Kyaw; Bernice Grootfaam; Fleur Tuin; Kevin Spanjaart; Milana Kosanovic; Noble Ekwueme; Gigi Sno; Kyara Wolf; Huiwen Li; Jasmijn Kruisheer; Salma Ennali; Arthur Janzen and Aaliyah Ahmed from the Ijburg College Amsterdam made a cone-like base shape of approximately 35 cm in height. This form is seen as a pedestal, for a ‘miniature group-exhibition’. Meaning each student created something to put on the ‘pedestal’ or basic shape that we can walk around, and look at from multiple angles.

The created series of ornaments by each individual student are inspired by Hortus drawings; pictures on the table or by own imagination/interpretation. How would you make a drawing in clay? Flowers /twigs/fabrics and chains on the table could be used for printing in clay (to create reliefs) or sculpting shapes by eye and interpretation. What would you like to add or remove? The ornaments were placed on the basic shape and coloured with black and white engobes.

By working in 3 groups of 5 individuals, the students slowly developed their own group synergy. Where in the beginning some children were hesitant, in the end everyone participated in the communal sculptures. Some standing up to make adjustments to the clay body or some with full focus bending over a piece to paint particular areas of attention.

The workshop shows the importance of working together, that because of this pandemic has become less and less. The physicality of making something cooperatively transmits some sort of pheromones between participants unable to be mimicked by advances in technology.

Due to the workshop at Framer Framed, opportunities organically grew into new projects. Screen printed documentation of the final works were selected for ‘Love for sale’ a blind bid auction at W139.  ‘Schrijven is tekenen en spreken tegelijk’ is another project that derived from the enthusiasm of the workshop, a prize question project for the opening of the Ijburg College’s new art wing. During this project the sculptures made by the students will be revealed via a live-stream.

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2-5 : Final Framer Framed workshop results from the 8th of October 2020. 

1 & 6-8 : Auctioned screen prints for ‘Love for sale’ at W139 on the 14th of February 2021, in collaboration with Joseph Hughes

With special thanks to stagiaire Tamara Laaper.

by Lily Lanfermeijer