Emily Burgess-Orton

'Existing Beside the Invisible Pain' uses the textural qualities of ceramic and textiles to represent the invisible aspects of a chronic illness. The body of work displays an illness experience that celebrates the unapologetic unproduction and refusal of explanation regarding the state of one's condition: That a person deserves to exist as they are regardless of societal expectations of productivity. 'Existing Beside the Invisible Pain' enforces this narrative through the setting of the home, where the bodily sculptures rest on blankets duvets. This bedding has been manipulated, stained, and discoloured, reflecting the push past new found limitations due to illness. The beeswax repairs the cracks, reflective of care and management but not every crack is repaired, reflecting the acceptance of the state of the body. The bodies crack and warp with glazes bubbling, they act as an external visual of the invisible experience, offering insight to life with a chronic illness.