"My recent practice has looked at researching ancient techniques and tooling, for example a major body of work has been on learning how to extract my own iron from ore, to then use sculpturally. I'm interested in controlling the whole cycle of making from start to finish.
I have also become interested in the performative nature of using and making tools and idea of creating an art event, or activity, whereby people meet and share an experience through contact with the items I make. The idea of manipulating these skills or adapting them to make commentary on how we exist today, in comparison with the past, is a key concern".
For b-side 2021
Katie will be creating functional sculptures inspired by tools reminiscent of the quarrying industry that dominates the Portland landscape.
These large hand-held digging contraptions will need to be lifted and operated by multiple people due to their size. The resulting holes and marks will be cast and in turn become sculptures in their own right.
