We’ve shared tiles made from snail poop, a glaze made from urine, sculptures made from ashes, and acoustic panels made from mycelium. And today we add to our list of weird and wonderful tile adjacent delights with a new material made marvellous – worm casings.
Japanese sculptor and artist Koro Ihara is no stranger to the curious and unexpected, having previously included the bleeding pigments of cochineal and silkworm droppings in installations as well as showcasing worm eaten books and utilising animal excrement in his sculptures. For Made in the Ground, it’s the irregular bobbly shapes of worm casings that take centre stage.
Framed, laid on the floor, crafted into unusual items of jewellery, or displayed en masse as a full feature wall, Made in the Ground makes something much larger out of the tiny pockets of waste. The casings are fired with shades of burnt red, earth, and gold decorating the undulating surface.
The final look highlights the fun, whimsy, and beauty to be found from a worm in progress.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, February 2025.