In the 56th episode of the BAJ podcast, our host Sofie Boons is joined by Clementine Edwards, an artist, writer, and jeweller, who works across sculpture, jewellery, film, and more. 

BAJ’s Sofie Boons framed this episode around the questions ‘What role do materials and objects play in the organisation of social relationships?’ and ‘What does it mean to possess materials and objects?’ They explore what it means to create objects that get passed on – described as ‘Kinship Objects’, a concept Clementine explored in depth in their collaborative book – ‘The Material Kinship Reader’ edited by Kris Dittel and Clementine Edwards.

Together, Sofie and Clementine consider the definition of Kinship and explore the question – ‘What role do materials play?’

In this podcast summary, we will give you an overview of the key topics of their discussion. If you’d like to listen to the Podcast in full, you can do so here. 

About Clementine

Clementine is a Rotterdam-based artist from Naarm Melbourne who works between sculpture and writing. Before they were a jeweller, they worked in politics and in publishing – now in their work, they enact material, experiential, and affective residues of daily life. Such residues help them hold and attend to the politics and poetics of (dis)possession – of body, land, family, and personhood. They recently published The Material Kinship Reader, co-edited with Kris Dittel, and were a fellow with Gerrit Rietveld Academie in the Jewellery—Linking Bodies department.

Clementine’s Work

Sofie and Clementine discussed how, as makers, they are in a unique position to consider the impact of materials and objects. 

Clementine described their thinking around material, linking this to conversations of trauma and ideas of control and safety. They express how material came to be a reliable place to return to, outlining the importance of physically making and holding objects- something they could rely on and treasure. Fundamentally, their practice is guided by material kinship and the desire to explore experiences with gender and trauma through a physical catharsis.

The kinship concept started from a cynical mindset, by observing the kinship structures around them, e.g. the nucleus family and gender roles, and wanting to discover non-normative alternatives. They discuss how the concept of kinship is an ongoing open debate – speaking of the theory behind jewellery and opposing the notion of jewellery needing to transcend the material, instead, they looked at the residues of daily experiences and how they can present them in a way that honours the way the material came into their life.

Clementine outlined how they work materially – they work instinctively, with material things that are organically found and/or given. The concept of ‘gathering through encounter’, is explored, supporting their natural creation process. Engaging with the residues of daily life, not just material but the effects and the experiential – where/how we are, what we’re seeing, doing, and feeling.

All of these elements, central to the way they work and think, started in a place of playing around, making/visually, and tied back into the notion of gathering through encounter. They noted how pieces often take different forms – beginning as an art piece, then becoming granular again, and transforming into something else.

Clementine shared the story behind their visual practice, discussing the idea of ‘repair’ and what material kinship means to them. They noted how creating jewellery provides them the capacity to ask questions and allows these questions to speak back to them and radicalise them – in a way that helps them grow.

To listen to the full discussion of their work and ponder these interesting topics, click here.