Load Bearing

Ageing, value beyond surface, and being held in return

This ceramic sculpture is constructed from stacked porcelain oyster shells, chosen for their contrast between rough, weathered exteriors and luminous, delicate interiors. The shells represent me as a woman of 64: shaped by time, labour and experience, but resilient and still holding beauty and value.

Copper wire winds through the form, initially strong and loadbearing, gradually becoming more fragile and eroded. It symbolises my role as a source of support within my family, and the quiet loss of status and strength that can accompany ageing, particularly for women. The wire records both endurance and decline.

Emerging from the base, a fine brass tendril represents my daughters. As they grow into their own strength, they begin to assume the role of nurturer, supporting me in return. The work explores ageing and care within a family, where responsibility and authority gradually passes to the next generation, yet support and care continue to circulate along a scaffold that holds the family together.