Fragile Peace
by Carina Claassens
Red & Black Stoneware, with slip, pigment, and clear glaze. 1240°C

The title Fragile Peace reflects the urgency and vulnerability I felt while creating this piece. The work was initiated just before midnight on the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as I listened to BBC World Radio announce the outbreak of war. This sculpture was shaped in the tumultuous first month of the conflict, with the addition of guns and a bird in response to the harrowing images and videos emerging from Bucha, Ukraine. The piece embodies the suddenness with which millions of women and children were forced to flee and seek refuge from violence. It represents the delicate nature of peace and the swift alterations that can upend lives.

Update (September 2024): The recent attacks on Gaza since October 2023 have profoundly impacted me. I am deeply troubled by the inaction and complicity of many world leaders in allowing this violence to persist. My South African heritage and solidarity with Palestine compel me to speak out against the ongoing occupation and land seizure by Israel. The scale of devastation is unprecedented in my experience, and the need for justice and freedom for Palestine is more urgent than ever.