"I had discovered, early in my researches, that the [alchemist's] doctrine was no mere chemical fantasy, but a philosophy they applied to the world, to the elements, and to man himself." W. B. Yeats in Rosa Alchemica

Alchemy and the Crucible

At a time before matter, mind and heart were regarded as separate entities, alchemy was a field that celebrated their interdependence and mutual influence. The vessel for this confluence of thought was the crucible. Within its thick walls the elemental world found psychological and spiritual equivalents and were placed in flux. The "alloy" produced was literally and figuratively a revelation. If there is a place in our own time where the physical and metaphysical are still allowed a shared vocabulary, it may well be in the heat of the craftsman’s studio. Through deft manipulation fire, earth, air and water are made as poetic as they are palpable. Here again, the central tool is the crucible; one of history’s most indelible and pervasive icons for actual and symbolic transformation. Exhibition Proposal Both as a tool and as an image, the crucible has become an evocative unifying element in the art of a small but significant group of sculptors working in crafts media. Largely, the artists came to the image for the reasons above and developed their points of view independently; without foreknowledge of this shared content. They all have well-established and distinctive approaches to their art apart from this issue and are therefore each able to bring a unique perspective to the topic free from the pitfalls of contrivance normally associated with themes. These artists now seek a group exhibition wherein the crucible may be examined as a tool of antiquity, a device for social commentary and literary significance, a spiritual icon, an industrial metaphor, and an image of political and global turmoil. Most importantly, the venue itself would become the vessel wherein these varied images would be allowed to mingle and generate thoughts and imagination not possible otherwise. Nowhere would such an exhibition find more relevance and resonance than in a city with the historical content of Birmingham. We hope this abstract will be a catalyst for dialogue and look forward to supplying more extensive information should this be of interest.