Kaixiang Zhang
Claydoscope
wild clay, aluminium foil, sugar, glycerine, oil, gelatin, food colouring
Approx. 5
× 5
× 17 cm
Claydoscope is a multi-dimensional community project that explores the trajectory of art from tactile construction to eventual dissolution through shared sensory experience. The project originated from a daydream in which a kaleidoscope shattered upon the ground; I swallowed the vibrant beads within, transitioning into the next cycle of the dream. Following my relocation from London to Eastbourne in 2022, the echoes of this fantasy gradually merged with my experiences of life in the town. My time working in a local non-profit gallery revealed that art spaces often remain places of curiosity yet alienation for many residents. In contrast, I witnessed individuals from diverse backgrounds in ceramic studios naturally discovering their unique creative potential through the act of making. This juxtaposition prompted me to establish an “intermediary state”, allowing participants to detach from the inertia of commodified daily life. With the support of the community, I foraged for wild clays of varying hues and conducted public workshops, transforming these handcrafted objects into a medium for a profound connection between the participants and their environment.
On 1st June 2024, I distributed fifty handmade Claydoscope objects to the local community. The artistic process was only truly completed when the participants hurled the works against the ground. As the clay shells returned to the earth and the organic components within became nutrients for the natural cycle, the participants transcended the role of observers to become performers. They witnessed the poetic instant where the “object” undergoes dissolution, transforming the boundary between the self and the environment into a site of constant renewal.
print & digital publication
14.8 x 21 cm
Exterior pages
The exterior of the publication functions as a Claydoscope picture book and a dedicated activity pack for the children’s workshops. It narrates the story of forest dwellers collaborating to create a kaleidoscope to observe the human world. Designed for interaction, the reader is invited to cut along the central fold after reading, revealing the practical guide hidden within the interior pages.
Interior pages
The interior serves as a comprehensive manual for wild clay, detailing every stage of the Claydoscope production process. This publication facilitates a social mechanism of reciprocity: members of the public use the guide to forage for wild clay and send it to me; I then transform the soil into a Claydoscope to be returned to them. The surplus clay generated through these exchanges creates further opportunities for sharing with those who wish to participate but lack access to raw materials.