About

This workshop introduces a place-based approach to ceramics, connecting two traditional aspects of making: wild clay and the dragon kiln.

The session begins with an introduction to Singapore’s last surviving dragon kiln. Using a small-scale model, participants will learn how the kiln functions and how communal firings are carried out. The discussion will also touch on how such kilns historically relied on locally sourced materials and collective labour, reflecting a deeply rooted culture of shared making.

The focus then shifts to wild clay—clay gathered directly from the landscape. Participants will be introduced to samples collected from different locations, alongside the simple tools and processes used to prepare them for use. This offers insight into how ceramics can begin with the ground beneath one’s feet, rather than pre-processed commercial materials.

By bringing together wild clay and the dragon kiln, the workshop presents a holistic view of traditional ceramics: clay sourced from the land, shaped by hand, and transformed through communal firing.

Where possible, participants will have the opportunity to handle prepared wild clay and create small test forms or tokens, gaining a tactile understanding of its unique qualities. Alternatively, participants will be able to touch and examine finished pottery made using local clay and wood-firing techniques.

Through this session, participants are invited to reconsider ceramics as a material practice grounded in place, community, and process.

Participants will:

– Gain a basic understanding of how a traditional dragon kiln functions
– Learn about Singapore’s last surviving dragon kiln and its cultural significance
– Understand the fundamentals of identifying and processing wild clay
– Explore ceramics as a place-based and communal practice
– Experience the natural variation of unrefined clay through touch and making
– Develop an appreciation of clay as a natural material rather than a pre-processed product