Smoke I
yak dung, white slip, recycled paper, juniper branches, sawdust, yak butter, yak milk, Tsampa, sugar, salt, tea, roasted barley, rice, soil


In Zoige, smoke from burned offerings is understood as a medium linking material and immaterial presence. Building on this understanding, I constructed and fired a temporary paper kiln to examine material transformation as it moves from solid matter to gas and residual trace.

Coated with yak dung and white slip, the kiln was fired overnight using juniper branches, dried yak dung, yak butter, grains, salt, and other locally sourced materials. As combustion progressed, the substances were consumed and reappeared as smoke marks deposited on ceramic surfaces. Rather than functioning as representation, these traces register material passage through successive states, revealing transformation as redistribution across form, atmosphere, and residue.