Ceramic books
Book of the Land and Sea
Earth, air, fire and water.
The spirit of the highland landscape is gathered on long walks - brought back to be fused in the kiln under high heat - transformed into sculptured books - challenging our perception of the book – viewed instead as an artefact from the future or fossilised tomes from a distant past – the intangible and ephemeral.
Hidden - within the vitrified pages - rocks, sediment, pebbles, glass and bones - light on lochans, sound of distant water, smells from moors and heath - fading light at dusk. Dawn - sun rising behind mountain peaks - an eagle in the sky - deer running - clusters of small pink flowers sheltering between grey rocks. Naked hills with scattered rocks and boulders - erratics watching from the skyline - clouds racing across mountain-tops - space for idle thoughts - a feast of solitude.
On my long walks in the 80s the idea of ceramic books evolved - from working with rocks and scouring the hills - passing giant books carved into rock faces by the workings of time and weather - or maybe even a giant from the past.
My book Brock sits perfectly in the landscape - as if it has been there for thousand of years - I am sure it is meant to be there - perhaps there already was one - built by the Vikings buried deep in the peat.
Now I watch the rising sun streaming from the mouth of Loch Eriboll straight into the book brock - lighting up the ceramic books - all facing in a line to Orkney.
The Book Brock was Created by John David
