Held in the Body : Clay as Witness considers clay as a material shaped by pressure, fire, and time—much like the histories and inheritances we carry in our bodies. Throughout the exhibition, gun-shaped handles appear on functional ceramic forms, referencing the inheritance of colonial and patriarchal violence and the ways such histories become normalized through use, beauty, and tradition. Rather than offering conclusions, the work asks for reflection, presence, and a willingness to sit with contradiction. The exhibition expands on work previously shown at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi MS.

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The opening night on January 2, Rogers will engage in a four-hour durational performance that will animate the exhibition. During the performance, he will work inside a rusted metal cage with a small potter’s wheel, making very small ceramic objects over the course of the evening. The action is restrained and repetitive, inviting audience interventions that will help shape the nature of the performance. A related live performance will take place during the closing event on February 7.