Chimney Vase - Anagama Fire

This special body of work was commissioned by Hastings Art Gallery for the 2025 exhibition 'Burning Ground', which explored the legacy of Bruce and Estelle Martin and their enduring connection to the region. Each piece was fired in the Martins' small Anagama kiln, which had not been used for over twenty years. The firing, including cooling, took the course of a week, allowing the clay to develop a rich and nuanced surface through the natural interaction of flame, ash, and atmosphere. The clay body was specially formulated by the artist, while the natural ash glaze emerged organically during the firing process. To honour the significance of the project, Brough built each vessel slowly by hand using the traditional coil-building method. The forms draw inspiration from Japanese ceramics of the Muromachi period, reinterpreting classical silhouettes through a contemporary lens. His distinctive inlaid mark-making, an iconic and highly individual technique creates quiet rhythms across the surface, giving each work a unique sense of movement, memory, and presence. Collectable ceramic's piece from NZ current ceramic's scene of the time. Approx. Size: W240xH370mm Handmade in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand