pâte de verre with flame worked inclusions
These glass objects that I propose to present are inspired by wooden sheep’s bell yokes (Schafkampen), which I first encountered in the collection of the folk art (Volkskunstmuseum) Tirol, Austria. These yokes were worn by sheep around the neck between the 17th-19th century for ceremonies after a successful Almabtrieb. Prior to this knowledge, I was drawn to the ambiguity of the forms, not knowing clearly their function, or for what body they were created. It was only later that I made the connection between these wooden objects and the Almabtriebe of cows that take place still to this day. This tradition regarding decorating sheep and goats for Almabtriebe has mostly vanished.
As I went closer to the vitrine, the mixture of pagan and Christian imagery held my visual interest further as I contemplated how such a yoke would have been made with the tools available at the time. Soon thereafter I became interested in creating such a sheep’s Schafkampen in glass to highlight even more their ornamental qualities.
The first few tests, as well as a 1:1 scale, successful Schafkampen can be seen in the proposal images document. These first attempts are made using the pâte de verre process. This processes binds glass powder and frit using gum-arabic to create a wet paste. This paste is then pressed into hollow molds and burned in a kiln to create a hollow form. I see this ongoing making as an archeology of a lost tradition, and questioning our contemporary relationship to animals, consumption and landscape.
