Hammered brass and 19th century nail
Diameter: 8.5 cm approx
Height: 10.7 cm
With this piece I was exploring what a vessel actually is – “a hollow or concave utensil, used for holding liquids or other contents,” and whether it is still a vessel if, in this case, it has no base.
The brass has been hammered to form a curve and then forced into a cylinder in the opposite direction putting the piece under tension and “pinning” it with a rusty nail. The nail is from the restoration of a 17th century Norfolk cottage that I have been working on for the last 8 years.
When I was a child it was often common to have hammered brass ornaments around the fireplace and in the home and this beaten brass finish is from my childhood memory.
