TERRA-BA’IT, 2019, Yohay Alush, Avner Balachsan
Updated: Mar 25, 2021
Photo: Hadar Saifan
What
Terracotta; mold casting, slab building, drag technique
Who
Yohay Alush, b. 1986; Avner Balachsan, b. 1988
Why
The “TERRA-BA’IT” (Earth-Home) project brings together industry and craft. Alush and Balachsan's project is centered on the “domestic radiator” – a commonplace industrial commodity, to which three different objects can be affixed: a humidifier and essential oil diffuser, a removable heated seat, and a food tray. All three objects were created using a centuries-old ceramic material, terracotta (Italian for "baked earth"), whose name inspired the project’s title. The designers explain that the choice of this unique type of clay material is due to its ability to store heat over time, rendering it a popular material used for the manufacture of dinnerware and roof tiles throughout history.
Where
On display at the Rothschild Gallery, Tel Aviv Biennale of Crafts & Design, MUZA – Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv.
