Lintel Drop
marble, water, copper
In the process of marble mining, aligning to cardinal points is a
crucial consideration due to the material’s anisotropic nature. The
crystalline structure is influenced by magnetic poles, resulting in
directionally dependent durability, refractive index, and
susceptibility to erosion.
At the north face of Agios Eleftherios, there are visible traces of
spring water seeping through vertical cracks. Similar to the
marble, the hydraulic conductivity of Tinos’ groundwater is
anisotropic, and soil texture, particle size distribution, and
porosity can impact horizontal and vertical permeability.
I opted to install Lintel Drop on the north face, just below the
seeping spring water, at the entrance to the toolshed. The piece
features a thinly sliced, six-sided marble slab basin joined with
the raw, iron-stained marble found on site. Lintel Drop includes a
reservoir at the door’s head that slowly drips water into a basin
over the course of a day. The basin has been intricately carved
and sanded into a thin sheet, suggesting the possibility of erosion
or breakage through the constant contact with water over time.
Lintel Drop draws inspiration from the marble fountains that can
be found throughout Tinos, designed to guide and distribute the
flow of spring water. Over the decades, these handcrafted
features have been reshaped by the water they were intended to
control, blurring the line between natural forces, ornamentation,
and functionality.
CV
Lily Clark is an artist living between the Eastern Sierra and Los Angeles,
California. After receiving her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in
2015, she began her ceramic studio practice and built a cross-disciplinary
process by using digital manufacturing methods like 3D printing to create
custom tools for extruding and shaping clay. Her work straddles both art and
design, and although she works with materials including stone, resin, wood, and
metal, she considers water to be her primary medium. Her work has been
featured by publications including Architectural Digest, Sight Unseen, and New
York Magazine. In 2022, she exhibited new work with Stroll Garden Gallery,
Some Clouds, and at Design Miami. This summer, she participated in a six
week residency at Shiro Oni in Onishi, Japan, forging close connections with
local stonemasons while sculpting three new water features using the local
Sanbaseki stone.
