Bulk Buy

Bulk Buy; part pop-up shop for ceramicists, part interactive exhibit. Bulk Buy featured alternative materials for use in ceramics, all reclaimed from industry byproduct and waste streams. Each material was sourced locally, processed on a small scale, and made available for purchase. The exhibition offered a disruption to the standard model of the take-make-waste economy. Ceramicists were prompted to question their usual methods of sourcing raw ingredients and their position in the supply chain. The exhibition questions: How is naturally occurring material (rock/mineral) mined and processed into a consistent, nondescript white powder that potters make a glaze from? What materials qualify as “waste”? Can alternative materials be used to make our pots rather than commercially extracted and finite resources? And if so, what new and exciting characteristics might be possible? Alternative Ceramics Supply is an artist collective with Claire Ellis, Sarah Muir-Smith, Georgia Stevenson and Amelia Black. Craft Contemporary (1–31 October) is an annual festival delivered by Craft Victoria – the largest celebration of craft and design in Victoria. The festival brings together practitioners, educators, industry, and craft lovers to explore material practice as it is today. See, touch, experience and be inspired by 150+ art experiences, including exhibitions, talks, demonstrations, workshops and open studios.