About

Elevation, a new solo exhibition by Cornwall-based Emma Saffy Wilson, opens in July 2025 at the historic Walcot Chapel in Bath. This contemplative show will explore the fragile boundary between spiritual reverence and the mundane, as well as the shifting meanings we attach to objects, materials and places over time.

The exhibition will feature a series of single-fired ceramic works, including broken shards, dirt, and waste materials that nod toward votives, altars and ritual vessels, Wilson, who lives in West Cornwall, an area rich in ancient sites and folklore, is fascinated by the ambiguity of sacred places and objects, many of which we don't fully understand. She is drawn to the gaps in knowledge, where meaning and purpose have shifted or been lost over time and is fascinated by how we continue to revere certain spaces or objects, often preserved in museums, without fully understanding their original significance.

The central piece, a Hikaru Dorodango (Shiny Mud Ball), made from just dirt and water, symbolises the transformative potential of overlooked materials. The simple yet powerful object encourages visitors to reconsider their assumptions about value and dirt, a material Wilson has worked with for nearly 25 years.

Visitors will also have the opportunity should they wish, to engage directly with the work through a meditative ritual Wilson regularly partakes in, sieving mud. Echoing the repetitive motions of prayer and worship, this act invites participation, creating a quiet space for reflection and connection.

This is a free event.