CLAY: holding/transforming/performing is a season of clay at the National Sculpture Factory, Cork, involving a mould making workshop with Kate O’Kelly, a live raku bench for audience participation throughout the month of August, and a full programme of events the weekend of 25th, 26th & 27th August including a live performance by Florence Peake.

This Festival is curated by artist Clare Twomey (UK), artist Nuala O’Donovan (Ire) and NSF curator Dobz O’Brien. Our featured artists are Linda Sormin, Florence Peake, William Cobbing, Simon Kidd, Kate O’Kelly, Bernadette Tuite & Nuala O’Donovan.

Booking now open through Eventbrite • Latest programme here.

Friday

14:00 – 16:00
Live Practice with Simon Kidd – Come and experience Simon producing silicone moulds with plaster shells, capturing textural elements and found objects on the Factory Floor. Simon will be choosing and preparing given areas, mixing and application of silicone and thickeners, and then the making of a plaster shell. All done in-situ.

18:00
Official Launch of the Festival, followed by Clare Twomey in-conversation with Linda Sormin

Saturday

9:30
Introduction with curators Clare Twomey, Nuala O’Donovan & Dobz O’Brien

9:45 – 11:30
Artists’ presentations on their individual Practices with William Cobbing, Florence Peake, Simon Kidd and Bernadette Tuitte

12:00pm – 13:30pm
Live Practice with Simon Kidd – Removing the silicone moulds and preparing them for translating them into clay objects through press moulding

14:30 – 16:00
Clare Twomey in-conversation with William Cobbing. This will be a performative conversation with William Cobbing followed by a round table discussion with the audience

16:00pm – 18:00
Live Practice with Bernadette Tuite – Raku Firing the end results of the live bench

Sunday

9:30
Introduction with curators Clare Twomey, Nuala O’Donovan & Dobz O’Brien

10:00 – 13:00
Live Practice with Simon Kidd – The making of the clay artefacts from the silicone moulds through press moulding, including the incorporation of local materials gathered from the NSF.

Live Practice with Nuala O’Donovan

Live Practice with Bernadette Tuite – Raku Firing the end results of the live bench

14.00 – 15:00
Live Performance with Florence Peake

16:00 – 17:00pm
Festival reflections on the Factory Floor – Discussion with Clare Twomey, Florence Peake & William Cobbing