Sisse Holst Pedersen
Denmark, 1993
sisseholstpedersen.com
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear
Our bodies posses knowledge that I consider of high value. It is a kind of knowledge that goes beyond the mind, but even so I often experience it being taken for granted. In my perception this ‘bodily knowledge’ deserves to be higher esteemed; in the process of making one might get closer to its potential. In order to obtain this I need to stay in close contact with my material, I let my entire body affect the clay while in return the clay affects my body. In general terms my work can be considered as a plea for a more sensory engagement with the material world and a more affectionate interplay between human and matter.
Investigating encounters between humans and everyday-objects awoke my empathy for objects. Putting myself in their position brings a great responsibility; to care for them by trying to understand and connect with them. To me objects are alive and carry a spirit, which implies that objects can feel, sense and even reflect though not in the same way as human beings. We understand feelings, thoughts and sensory perceptions through speech, facial expressions and body language, but we’re not receptive for the objects to respond, due to the fact that in a predominant anthropocentrical world, matter is widely considered mute. I insist on upholding the spirit of the organic clay in all stages of creation to ensure its animate nature is optimally preserved. In this sense, it also raises the relationship to a higher level; objects are not put into this world to serve me, we simply exist in this world to serve and care for one another on an equal base. A deeper understanding of the nature of our surroundings enriches any sensory and tactile experience; in return we might get back more than expected.
photos uploaded taken by: Franziska Mueller Schmidt
