T H E F R A G A N C E O F C L A Y
Eduardo Palomares' work The Fragrance of Clay is an installation of several ceramic vessels crafted from wild clay sourced from diverse locations such as the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Sea, and the Alps. Each vessel contains a unique fragrance derived from the specific site where the clay was collected, creating an olfactory experience that reveals the original habitat, as the artist discovered it.
Being both subject and material, poetic and simple, the clay brings its own biography and character. It documents a multi-layered system of organic, geographic, and historical signs while also unfolding its hiddenness. Subtle nuances in the vessel's structures and compositions emerge uniquely for the artist, creating a personal narrative and telling a story of its transformation.
These site-specific objects are part of the legend. In his creative process, Eduardo Palomares adds more and more points to his artistic map. His travels are based on the principle of reciprocal exchange — he brings his artworks to nature and takes the materials for the next objects with him. Eduardo remains in balance with nature in his paradigm of the world harmony, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all elements.
The act of offering and taking, the matt surface and raw color of the unglazed ceramic, and the naive motif of the lines — all these components bring the viewer into a prehistoric, universal sign system. The natural fragrances, including the smell of moss or algae, aim to evoke personal memories and associations, making each viewer's experience unrepeatable. This journey through the senses is a path back to oneself, encouraging personal reflection and relating to the suggested element.
Palomares' work explores themes of nature, memory and human interaction with the habitat. By using raw materials and highlighting them in a pristine, human-free context, he critiques the commodification of raw materials and the obfuscation of this process, highlighting the alienation between man and the beauty of the world. This project is in line with Palomares' broader creative process, which includes works such as Blooming Ocean, in which he also integrates natural elements and site-specific inspiration to explore the interconnectedness of different environments. Akin to the works of other protagonists of Land Art, such as Olafur Eliasson's Riverbed or Richard Long's River Avon Mud, Eduardo's work incorporates the idea of existence and coexistence, the discovery of space outside of urbanity and the possibilities of reconnection.
Text by Anastasia Kozlova.
