TESTSLOT

Medium: Ceramic sculptures
Dimensions: Variable installation
Materials: Ceramic, pigments, mixed media supports

TESTSLOT is a sculptural installation inspired by the small test trenches—known as "testslots"—dug to inspect and map underground urban infrastructure. Created during a three-month residency at the European Ceramic Work Centre (EKWC) in 2018, the work explores the tension between the perceived reliability of urban systems and their underlying fragility.

The installation consists of delicate ceramic sculptures, meticulously crafted to resemble the pipes, cables, and conduits uncovered by these test trenches. Presented on unstable pedestals or suspended precariously in space, the objects emphasize their vulnerability and evoke a sense of unease. Each piece features bold, vibrant hues, stripping the components of their utilitarian context and inviting a reimagining of their aesthetic and symbolic value.

Through this work, I challenge viewers to reconsider the invisible systems that sustain urban life, not as immutable structures but as delicate networks subject to disruption. The interplay of fragility and strength inherent in ceramics serves as a metaphor for the precariousness of the systems we depend on, exposing the tension between their visible solidity and their hidden vulnerability.