Erica Earle-Robertson

'Kuruka'

Jewellery and Silversmithing - BA (Hons)

School of Design

ericaearle21@gmail.com

Website

Press Pack.pdf (1.78 MB)

Project description

My graduate collection ‘Kuruka’, meaning ‘to weave’ in Shona, is a celebration of Zimbabwe and its people. Growing up in Zimbabwe, I was immersed in a vibrant and artistic environment from a young age. My practice draws inspiration from the individuality of local Zimbabwean artisans, many of whom rely on weaving as a source of income: a traditional practice passed down from generation to generation. I discovered this technique while working collaboratively with a small group of women in Bulawayo, Matabeleland. I spent five days in a remote village, learning how to weave an Ilala Palm gourd basket under their guidance. While weaving, I got to know and understand each of the ladies stories; their upbringings, lives, families and dreams. Each vessel carries a different story, my individual experience enmeshed with those I’ve crossed paths with. They are a collective exhibition of interwoven narratives, identities and cultures, rooted in a longing for home.

Inyati Vessel

‘Kuruka collection’ paper yarn and ilala palm, naturally dyed using logwood. Photographed by Shannon Tofts.

I view the concept of landscape as a critical site, one which occupies the realm between thought and process. Not solely concerned with landscape itself, my collection centres on the experience of being immersed in it, of being part of it. The walking, the collecting – the feeling of fully connecting with the wider ecosystem. Integrating naturally dyed, indigenous materials is therefore central to my work. Through the richness of this materiality, I endeavour to explore the daily experience of being human, translated through the form and function of woven art objects.

With a background in both Art and Jewellery and Silversmithing, the relationship between different materials and scale has always fascinated me; pushing the boundaries of what has been done and creating new approaches that look to the future. My graduate collection is a place where cultural narratives and identities are foregrounded in the physical act of making and through the exploration of the changing natural world.