Clavicle (2026)
Charcoal, fine silver, sterling silver, copper
12×14×7cm

First presented at the Collect Open 2026, Katherine James produced a series of sculptures that combine charcoal and silver chainmail in an exploration of resilience and vulnerability.

Her process began with casting areas of the body, focussing on negative space. Moulds taken from these abstract forms and are packed with charcoal. Katherine has developed a natural recipe that binds fine charcoal powder.

These sculptures are draped in silver chainmail. Fine wire is first hand coiled and cut to create thousands of individual links. Katherine then intricately joins each of these to construct her armour. After days of careful assembly, Katherine subjects areas of the chainmail to an intense flame. The silver becomes molten and the armour is semi-melted onto the forms.

The areas of melted metal appear damaged but provide strength and rigidity. Whereas, those untouched by the flame droop in skin-like folds. This illustrates Katherine’s poetic view of resilience, and the complexity of how we relate to that concept.