Union Project is thrilled to host this one-day interactive solo exhibition by local ceramicist Marcè Nixon-Washington. 

“All Around the City” uses ceramics as an archival material by etching Pittsburgh trademarks, people, and monuments into clay. Many people consider ceramics a fragile material, but it is more durable than what we give it credit for. Ceramics, when fired to the correct temperature, is water resistant. Pottery can withstand temperatures up to 2359 degrees Fahrenheit, while the typical house fire burns to about 1100 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of what we know about ancient history today is due to the durability of stone carvings and pottery. Decades later, we are excavating ceramic shards that tell the truth of enslavement through the lens of the enslaved from ceramicists like “Dave the Potter.” Throughout the history of America, we see the destruction of primary sources from black people through the act of burning. My family history has been burned in church fires in the Jim Crow South. I am interested in the ways archivists in the future will learn about our lives now in Pittsburgh, PA.

Visitors of all experience levels are invited to participate in two ways – to draw and paint on premade bisque-fired cylinders OR to create something of their own from a ball of clay dug locally from people’s backyards and construction sites around Pittsburgh. No pre-registration is required.

Marcè Nixon-Washington is a multidisciplinary artist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her BFA from West Virginia University, focusing on Africana Studies. Marcè studied Ceramics in Jingdezhen, China, where she found her love for shards and ceramic history. She investigates ceramics as archival material to record personal and cultural history. Her work has been exhibited at The Mufei Gallery in Jingdezhen, China, The Carnegie Museum of Art, and the 2023 NCECA Conference, and she has most recently completed a solo exhibition at The Manchester Craftsman Guild as the inaugural William E Strickland Jr fellow. Marce’ is also a member of the Union Project’s BIPOC Collaborative Studio and Women of Visions.

This project is supported, in part, by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council through its Allegheny Arts Revival Grant and the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Union Project is committed to being accessible to all. The building is wheelchair accessible via the side door on Stanton Avenue, and an accessible parking spot is just outside. Service animals are always welcome, and ASL interpretation can be provided on request. Please let us know what accommodations we can make to ensure your positive experience. Contact Michelle Clesse at 412-363-4550 or [email protected] if you need specific accommodations.