Clay Consciousness bridges philosophy and art, merging embodied thinking with creative methods.
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Clay Consciousness is the title we give to our artistic research. It involves a method of Focusing as developed by process philosopher Eugene Gendlin. We bring our two artistic practices to the research - visual and stage art, and dance improvisation. This is our field of knowledge, but the method of listening and focusing - of holding open space for one another - is guided by the structure of Focusing. What this looks like practically is that we meet on Zoom, with clay in our hands. Helga is in Iceland, Nicky is in Denmark. We each take a turn to focus. The clay takes a form. Ultimately it is like listening to the voice of the clay. There are two elements to the practice we hold dear, that: 1) it occurs together, in a spacious listening ‘conversation’ and 2) the research structure (Focusing) holds the diaphanous space of becoming. It is the vulnerable moment in which creation is seeding itself. As psychologist James Finley says ’ there is a moment when you come up from behind the curtain, and try to stammer out something for which you have no words for, and when you are with someone like that, you are on holy ground’. We proceed with this research to learn more about how our hands come to know what they know and thus, how we may help each other to listen to other intricate knowledge inherent in the whole of a situation.
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Drawings by Nicky from a focusing session with clay (March 2025)
What we are noticing:
Embodied Connection and Awareness:
Working with clay creates a deep connection between our body, mind, and memory. The physical act of shaping clay mirrors inner sensations, fostering a sense of awareness and grounding. When we open our eyes to see the clay in our hands, it feels like we are greeting an independent entity—a form shaped by the interaction between our body and the material. The clay is an active participant in this dance, leading the creative process.
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Memory and Timelessness:
Clay evokes personal memories, such as very specific childhood experiences, and also taps into a sense of ancient, collective memory. It feels like a bridge to both personal and universal history.
Transformation and Renewal:
The process of working with clay is restorative, transforming stress into calm and harmony. It fosters a sense of beauty, connection, and renewal, an inner felt sense and a relation to the world. The clay is a partner in this transformative journey of shaping and being shaped.
The photos were taken during a pilot experiment, where Helga tested the method with master's students in the "Arts and Welfare" program at the Iceland University of the Arts.
(March 2025)
