Jessica Mok - BA (Hons) Product Design and Craft
In-Between
As an artist and designer specializing in ceramics, I have a profound interest in glaze and its chemical properties. My innovative approach utilizes glaze as the primary material rather than clay, employing glaze-casting techniques to challenge traditional perceptions of glaze's role in ceramics. My playful creations push the boundaries of ceramic art, aiming to create a sense of material confusion and a unique viewing experience for the audience. My practice is process-led and research-based, with a strong emphasis on learning through making.
My project investigates the impact of the British National (Overseas) visa on Hong Kong immigrants in the UK since its 2021 introduction. Drawing from urban observations in Manchester and Hong Kong, I explore themes of belonging, using the fluidity of glaze as a metaphor for the immigrants' unsettled history. Employing 'reverse thinking' and 'deconstruction' theories, my work seeks a renewed sense of belonging during the transition from one city to another.
Experimenting with glaze, I challenge conventional roles in ceramics and incorporate AI tools like Midjourney in my creative process. The AI-generated language of nonsense, derived from street views of Manchester and Hong Kong, leads to intriguing results and new perspectives. This exploration between reality and virtuality aims to create a surreal experience for the audience, prompting a reimagining of identities.
Extending my exploration to bricks, inspired by the UK's architectural landscape, I draw parallels between the stability and fragility of bricks and the immigrant experience. The interplay between clay and glaze in my work captures the essence of transition and transformation, reflecting the journey of Hong Kong immigrants adapting to life in the UK. Through glaze-casting techniques, I construct and deconstruct ceramic towers with the heat in the kiln to further explore themes of transition and belonging. My artistic process invites viewers to contemplate their own experiences of identity and transition within my creations.
