Clay is used by Xanthe Summers to explore themes of domesticity, craft, and women’s work like cleaning and caregiving. Growing up in Zimbabwe, she noted the invisible labor disparities, especially regarding gendered tasks. Summers believes clay can bridge functionality and artistry, serving as a vital medium that preserves human stories. Her vessels embody this duality, often taking figurative forms and showcasing sensory colors and textures that reflect both art and the narratives tied to domestic labor.
"I think mostly I am invigorated by its ability to hold-to hold water, to hold function, to give shape, to carry stories, and to carry meaning."
"Many homes have cleaners and gardeners who exist within this 'invisible' framework: caring for children, cooking their meals, and sometimes traveling for hours-and their work is underpaid, undervalued, and considered unskilled."
"Clay has the unique ability to cross the boundaries between functionality, art, craft, class, and culture, and because of this, it is a vital medium to hold stories about humankind."
"I understand clay to be an archive for the stories of humans."
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