Emma Saffy Wilson United Kingdom
I’m an artist and socially engaged facilitator living by the coast of far west Cornwall. I have a fascination with Dirt (prefer the word dirt over earth - the connotations intrigue me). My work often involves clay, discarded or overlooked matter embracing a slow process that’s both meditative and deeply intuitive.
"Dirt is a matter out of place." – Mary Douglas, Purity and Danger
The alchemical process of transforming dirt or discarded materials into something curious or desirable lets me explore how beauty and value can emerge from what is often overlooked or unwanted. My work is a conversation with materials that are typically disregarded, raising them into objects that hold ambiguity and invite reflection. This ties closely to my fascination with museum artefacts and sacred sites, where the stories of objects are layered and often unclear, leaving space for mystery and interpretation.
My process is slow and deliberate, rooted in a kind of ritual. Through repetition and intuition, I uncover hidden layers of meaning, challenging ideas of what is valuable or beautiful. I’m drawn to ambiguity, finding richness in objects that resist being fully understood, much like ancient artifacts or ritual items.
I often allow control to slip, trusting that the act of making will lead me to what the piece wants to be. For me, it’s about reconnecting with the material world, finding beauty in what’s been discarded, and acknowledging the quiet relationship between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
