Clare Twomey - Time Present and Time Past

Ceramicist Clare Twomey's live studio installation 'Time Present and Time Past' saw the gallery transformed with members of the public working as apprentices on a William Morris-inspired tile panel. Over 68 days, 68 volunteer apprentices worked alongside a skilled master painter, slowly transforming the tiles from one state of beauty to another. The exhibition presented a response to William Morris’s approach to making; like the apprentices, Morris learned his skills through practice and concentration. Skills need to be constantly passed on and shared, from one person to another, to retain their vitality. Twomey’s installation explored how practising a skill can connect us through time and space to other people. As Morris observed, ‘The past is not dead, but living in us.’  

This beautifully presented booklet provides background and commentary supporting the exhibition and its connection to Morris's philosophical ideals.

Paperback - 12 pages - 2016