Gill Array

Gill Array is a dense, lightweight spatial matrix incorporating a tetrahedral structure of cast ceramic elements with ‘gills’ of translucent laser-cut mylar. Pinned at the intersections of the ceramic units, the gills shift in response to air movement within the array. Complex optical interference patterns are produced by the many layers of mylar screens and porcelain skeletons.

The piece was developed for the 2002 conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. Exploring a new materiality for ceramics, the array uses a textile strategy to produce a three-dimensional structure. The production of large numbers of individual units combines a traditional method of ceramic fabrication with digitally controlled media. Production castings of fine porcelain elements were developed from a model produced on a three-dimensional printer.