BFA Solo Exhibition - Mya Hildreth - Gallery 2

Exhibition Dates: April 5-8 2022

The Long Quiet

My functional pottery is pinched into shape delicately and intuitively. The nature of the clay itself strongly influences the final form. The surfaces are completed in a similar way with layered patterns reflecting the warp and weft threads of weaving; a practice that is deeply rooted in women’s history. I abstract these patterns until they are reduced into their simplest structure of horizontal and vertical lines. These lines create boundaries, to be confined within or broken out of. The simplicity of my surfaces and forms allow these objects to be honest, approachable, and committed to their function.

My pots possess a certain sensitivity, while lacking anticipated refinement. To me, this duality speaks to the ambivalence found within my personal exploration of what it means to be feminine. I feel the oppositional tension of shame, from internalized misogyny as a result of living in a society that has historically devalued women, and comfort, from the sense of empowered belonging I find within femininity and its stereotypes.

As I continue to live, grow, learn, and heal, I am always making. As the maker, I experience the quiet meditative process of forming each object into shape; my fingerprints can be seen and felt in every pot. Each object becomes a physical manifestation of the thoughts, feelings, and experiences I have while making. The user of the object experiences these intimate details that become integrated into their own domestic space, everyday life, and personal routines. This fosters a meaningful connection between the user, maker, and object.