Drawing on the wisdom of ancient earthbuilding practices, Embracing Mud invites participants to help transform the most humble of materials – soil, sand, dead grass, palm and agave fibers, and water – into a radically simple, yet durable, sculptural medium. Using only bare feet and hands, participants combine these raw materials and then transfer, press, and slather the resulting earthen mixture onto a wooden structure made by the artist specifically for the event.
By inviting the public to participate in this process with him, the artist hopes to honor the communal heritage of earthbuilding practices and to create an opening for participants to mindfully connect with the ground itself – a rich and powerful material hiding both out of sight and out of touch for most in this urban environment.
Photo credits: Justin Gallagher – www.galligherphoto.com – @galligher_photo
Completed Works
Ashton S. Phillips 