Brain Fitness

2019｜ Clay ｜ Various sizes

"Limitations" are part of our everyday life. Our resources, both material and immaterial, are limited. Inspired by the idea, the workshop "Brain Fitness" conveys the core value - with creative thinking, we can realize many possibilities from limitations. The workshop consists of four rounds. Each round makes different demands on the participants. However, there is a basic rule applying to the whole workshop. The participants create a variety of patterns from clay by only using the movement of pressing. In each round, they develop methods that follow the rule and use the methods to represent their ideas.

The human body as a tool

Our hands are fine tools. Through their different movements and positions the artists develop their own methods to create patterns. The artists can also use objects that belong to the hand and arm. For instance, an artist can press the clay with the knot on a sleeve. Besides those visible elements some untouchable elements, such as speed and force, also play a part in making a unique pattern. How fast or slow, slanting or straight should we press the clay? How much force should we employ?

The new definition of a tool

A tool is an object that helps us fulfill a specific purpose. Based on this definition many objects can be tools for making patterns even if they are not normally considered as tools, such as stones, leafs, nuts, and branches. For this sort of unusual tools we have little predefined hint for usage. Therefore the potential of the usage is limitless. By considering the shape and texture of a found object each artist has developed his or her unique way of working with those "tools".