Transcript
Cara Wood:
Hey, this is my space, where I create. Down here is my mess. I hand build and throw on the wheel, sometimes combining both techniques. I do all the processes. I’m Cara Wood, a ceramic artist based in Newcastle. My medium of choice is ceramic, and I’ve honed this skill over 25 years. Recently, I’ve been focusing on ceramic-based installation work that discusses equality and feminism. I combine various ceramic techniques to tell a story, making my work very narrative-based.
When I approached Liddell, I had no preconceived ideas. I just wanted to visit the space and see what they needed. I love grungy factories and all the nuts and bolts, so I was excited for the tour. In another life, I was the Chief Operating Officer for a manufacturing company connected to coal mines. This gave me some insight into the industry and processes.
Despite my background, my primary interest is in people and the human side of our world. At Liddell, I met many long-time employees who spoke of the power station with camaraderie and sadness over its closure, as if it were a dear friend. This made me think about the thousands of people who had worked there and the lives and footsteps that had filled those floors.
My proposal was to take 51 impressions of the floors at Liddell, representing its 51 years of operation. From these plastic casts, I would roll beautiful porcelain and make paper-thin tiles to be installed with a light underneath, creating a floating memory.
To do this, I prepared small clay slabs and, with Penny’s help, took impressions of various parts of the building. We chose spots together, capturing the essence of the place.
Porcelain is the top end of clay, unlike low-fired, porous terracotta. It is high-fired, tightly vitrified, and much more expensive. Porcelain’s strength comes from its closely packed particles once fired, giving it a beautiful, almost translucent quality.
The final piece I made was different from my original proposal. Initially, I envisioned floating, wafer-thin porcelain floor impressions, but they felt insubstantial. Instead, I created 52 porcelain boxes mounted on a floating platform that pulsates with light, each box featuring one of the 51 impressions. This new approach felt more fitting for honoring Liddell’s significance and the community’s connection to it.
Meeting people who loved Liddell and seeing the community built around it, I wanted my work to reflect that significance. The pivot in my project was about honoring the power station, not just capturing a fleeting memory.
I’m proud to be one of the artists selected to create this living memory of such a beloved part of the community. This work will preserve the essence of Liddell even after it ceases to be. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to access and immortalize it through my art. The impressions I took will allow me to continue exploring and honoring this place in future works.
