Thanks to the support Spike Island Studios I was able to host a live lava pour at Spike Island Open Studios. As part of my research I wanted to host an open studio event where members of the public were welcome to view molten lava. I also wanted to begin some collaborative work with Solveig Settemsdal, another artist whom I will be exhibiting with in the Autumn (please view News tab at the top of the page for details).
The pour consisted of two events. The first simply to pour molten basalt onto a a bed of molten pewter so the audience can see the material close up. The second, to pour a small sphere (the same form I have been attempting for the last 4 weeks). The highlight of the pour for me was the use of my new niche tool – a large pair of gardening shears which I could use for cutting the molten lava between the mould and the crucible. Prior to this re-appropriated technology we had to wait for all of the lava to pour out of the crucible. The lava, much like glass, has an incredibly satisfying density which snips beautifully.
