FOURTH class pupils from St Mary’s National School in Limerick were the first to experience the Hunt Museum’s latest exhibition exploring the story of clay and ceramics and how they have impacted on civilisation.
The ‘Made of Earth’ interactive exhibition uses touch, sound, virtual reality and games to bring to life the physical and symbolic properties of ceramics and their importance to social history.
After feeling clay in its raw state, the visitor discovers how pottery and ceramic-making developed from 9000 BC through Ancient Rome and the Renaissance right up to the Industrial Revolution and the advent of mass production.
The rituals, symbolic meanings and technical achievements are highlighted and the overall experience is enhanced through the use of the Hunt Museum’s new clay studio, immersive video, 3D printing and audio access, virtual reality and games.
The exhibition showcases several ceramic pieces from the Hunt Museum’s permanent collections from the Neolithic to Irish Contemporary ceramics, allowing visitors to gain an appreciation of their origins, uses and pictorial decorations that adorn them.
Hunt Museum Director Jill Cousins said, “The formations of civilisations, our use of tools, our interest in beauty, and even our identity, are all entwined with the development of ceramics.
“We hope that this helps visitors to engage in our rich collection of ceramics in a new way and gain an understanding of the role they have played in our shared history,” she added.
