CHROMATERRA
Material Research — Mud Dyeing & Ceramic Glazing
CHROMATERRA is a collaborative research project developed by ceramic artist Lucie Ponard and textile designer Tony Jouanneau, exploring the potential of excavated earth from the Grand Paris construction sites as a resource for textile dyeing and ceramic glazing.
Bringing together two distinct craft practices, the project investigates colour as a common language between textiles and ceramics, transforming locally sourced earth and construction waste into new materials for surface embellishment.
Inspired by dorozome, an ancestral Japanese mud-dyeing technique originating from Amami Island, the textile process combines mineral-rich earth with plant-based tannins extracted from leaves, bark, fruit peels and galls. In parallel, the same excavated soils and demolition residues are used to develop ceramic glazes.
The resulting palette of subtle ochres creates a visual dialogue between dyed textiles and glazed ceramics, blurring the boundaries between the two materials through a shared chromatic identity.
Beyond colour research, CHROMATERRA explores new forms of material assembly, combining the flexibility of textiles with the structural qualities of ceramics through modular compositions and geometric arrangements.
By reimagining discarded earth as a valuable source of colour and material expression, CHROMATERRA questions conventional approaches to waste and explores new possibilities for sustainable craftsmanship.
Research collaboration: Lucie Ponard × Tony Jouanneau
Materials: Grand Paris excavated earth & construction waste
Techniques: Mud dyeing, natural tannins & ceramic glazing