“EX NIHILO,” Digital, Sony A7 riii, 8 large scale inkjet prints. A study of the manifestation and progression of my depression through the ceramic sculpture process.
EX NIHILO is a part of sometimes i overflow, a virtual exhibition of semester-long projects in the photographic medium.
“EX NIHILO,” addresses depression through examining the methodical process of ceramic art. By shooting the process and its repetitive nature, I present ceramic art as a metaphor for the dynamic and dull qualities of depression. Drawing from my own experience, this project captures the parallels between making ceramic pieces and living with depression. Viewers experience the rises and falls of depressive episodes by exploring the methodical processes involved in ceramic art, including the inevitable collapses, cracks, and breaks of ceramic pieces. As my depression has continued to worsen and manifest, I’ve switched between having a very strong will to get better, and no will at all to get better, and the ceramic process really encapsulates the tug-of-war I have experienced for over 4 years. The title, “ex nihilo,” is a latin phrase meaning ‘out of nothing,’ referencing the way clay is made from ‘nothing’ (dirt and water) and can be built into beautiful ceramic art. Depressive episodes sometimes appear from nowhere, and they can also make you feel like you are nothing. The latin title also calls to the ancient belief of man being made from clay, a thought that will be expressed in the project as the ceramic gets built like how I build myself up after an episode. Additionally, each photo is titled in Latin, each title referencing different stages of my depression. These Latin phrases along with the numerous belief systems which believe in man’s creation from clay, inspired “EX NIHILO,” a symbolic re-creation of myself from clay. The thought that I am a clay sculpture and I can do everything correctly to finish a beautiful piece is what drives “EX NIHILO,” because, like with depression, I can want to build a perfect piece, but sometimes the piece breaking is inevitable. I tackled my depression for the first time in my life, through exploring the life cycle of clay. The completed project features 8 large scale prints of the ceramic process, some photos manipulated, some photos presented as shot.
Various Ceramic Pieces by Eli Jones
