Claire Ellis — '$11tn fossil fuel asset crash could cause 2008-style financial crisis, warns new study', Ceramic Sculpture, 2026

'$11tn fossil fuel asset crash could cause 2008-style financial crisis, warns new study' ceramic sculpture forms part of 'Break To Open', a collection of oversized money jars inspired by medieval British Tudor money boxes. Theatre coin payments were collected in the sealed ceramic jars that could only be accessed by destroying the container. I made this cathartic body of work in response to fossil fuel disinformation which ironically undermines economic prosperity while also delaying the most urgent transition needed to prevent passing irreversible climate tipping points. 

Through material and metaphor this work questions Australian extractivism. Recycled green glass blended into recycled clay symbolically leaks from the vessels and replaces the traditional copper and lead green glaze. A continuation of extensive material experimentation, the coil built and wheel-thrown forms are single-fired electrically and made using only local circular materials. Each artwork title references news articles intended as searchable sources for dispelling myths and supporting discussion.