Psyche in Orbit
John Domenico
October 27, 2017
Major: ceramics/materials science (double major)
Genre/Medium: stoneware, iron thermite glaze
About the work: As a double major in Materials Science & Engineering and Ceramic Fine Arts I am especially interested in the underlying composition of things. Given that Psyche (the asteroid) is believed to be primarily iron and nickel, I felt that I had a unique opportunity to explore a glaze that utilizes the thermite reaction to create a surface that is primarily raw iron. The texture on this platter is a product of the thermite reaction and is an interpretation of an iron body in space. On the black, space-like rim, the colors of the Psyche mission stand out to allude to the Psyche (spacecraft) in orbit. This is all contained on a large piece of fired clay—which, in a way, “brings it back to Earth.” As a fun fact, the viewer will notice an orange/red blushing on the platter. This is because, unlike in space, on Earth metals oxidize rather quickly. Thus, the orange/red tint is the raw iron on the surface of the platter oxidizing. Over time there will be more of the color as the iron continues to oxidize. Dimensions: 25″ x 25″ x 3.5″.
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