Sunlit Uplands is a huge singular artwork, rather than a series of individual pieces. What do you hope will happen to it?
Last night a friend was telling me that it should go to a public collection, as people will want to keep seeing it. I'd love for it to have a public life afterwards. It’s been one of the most popular shows Hales Gallery has had – I must be on Tiktok or something.
There’s the occasional rubber egg in the show, which made me laugh. Tell me about combining ceramic with other materials such as glass, wood and metal.
Rubber eggs are a reference to Gulliver's Travels, in which two nations go to war over which end of the egg you should break. There’s also a fair few cast-iron pieces: rail heads from fencing. I wanted to take common things you don’t look at often, but that are in the back of your head, and change them into something else. The glass and wooden bits were lying around my studio; I stuck them on and they seemed to work.
As a ceramic artist all my making career, the history of the medium can weigh you down. What does someone like me make in the 21st century? I’ve tried to make something relevant for today, but that might last. If I’d made Brexit commentary all about Jacob Rees-Mogg, it wouldn’t last forever – people wouldn’t get the reference. I’m not as clever as Hogarth.
I know it sounds romantic, but once you’ve fired something it will last thousands of years. So if you’re putting something into the world, you’ve got to make sure it will last.
Richard Slee: Sunlit Uplands is on show at Hales Gallery, London, until 4 March