The ceramic size tags were meticulously crafted using a mold-making process. Each tag began as a prototype, hand-sculpted to achieve the precise dimensions and details reminiscent of clothing size tags. This prototype was then used to create a plaster mold, allowing for consistent replication. Liquid clay, or slip, was poured into the mold and carefully monitored as it set, capturing the intricate textures and forms. Once removed, each tag was refined by hand to add unique imperfections, emphasizing the concept of individuality breaking through uniformity. The pieces were then fired, glazed, and fired again, completing their transformation into symbolic objects.

This ceramic piece by Julia Oram reimagines clothing size tags as symbols of societal constraints and imposed identities. Drawing inspiration from the ubiquitous yet overlooked size tags found on hangers, the artist uses these forms to explore the ways in which society categorizes individuals, limiting their freedom and individuality.

Each ceramic tag represents a label society imposes—gender, age, body image, career expectations, and more. Despite their surface diversity, the uniformity in size and shape highlights the pressure to conform to rigid societal norms. Arranged in ordered rows, the tags evoke the linear paths society often dictates, leaving little room for deviation or self-expression.

Crafted from ceramic, the tags’ fragility and imperfections carry deep significance. Cracks and breaks are deliberately incorporated to symbolize moments of resistance and the human spirit’s capacity to challenge these constraints. These flaws also underscore the inherent instability and flaws in the systems that attempt to define individuals by reductive labels.

Through this work, Julia Oram invites viewers to reflect on the labels they encounter and the roles they are expected to play. By elevating the size tag—a mundane object—to the realm of art, the artist provokes a deeper conversation about how these categorizations shape our lives and limit our potential. The piece ultimately serves as a call to break free from societal labels and embrace the richness and complexity of individual identity.