Dark Matter
Charcoal is an amorphous solid, meaning that it has no form. It is in a weathering, unstable, and radioactive state – willing to get caught on anything touching it.
In the becoming of charcoal the elements of wood is forcefully separated by heat in an enclosed atmosphere. This process is called pyrolysis. After the pyrolysis while the charcoal is still cooling down, it cracks and breaks from the original shape of the wood. A void is created from the evaporated elements of the wood which gives the charcoal a porous and delicate appearance.
By following, listening but also interfering with the forces and flows of the charcoal and the fire, I have established a relation to it as a material, and as a key component in various traditions of woodworking.
Through an arrangement of things, I invite for various ways to experience charcoal. The charcoal bottom is the bearing floor where shellac has seeped into the voids and eventually covered the squared pieces of charcoal. The chest’s semi-transparent appearance gives an indication of a content but only by opening the lid it can be fully revealed. A place has been created, hopefully a place that the viewer carries with them next time they encounter the material charcoal.
