Earth to Form

Images are missing from this post. Text only.

Exhibition Review August 2009


Exhibition: Earth to Form
Sculpture in clay and mixed media
Tin Sheds Gallery
The University of Sydney
17 July – 8 August 2009





This exhibition is particularly suited to this venue which is known for innovative installation works.

A combination of Australian and visiting International artists have been brought together to express themselves through ceramic forms.

Many of these artists use clay to express their concern for the environment, while others look to the history of their culture.
For example, Anna Choi has replicated the shoes of those high born women of Old China whose feet were bound to keep them small. The pair displayed in a bird cage represents their ‘caged’ existence while the pile underneath shows how this life has been discarded.

Walter Auer’s fired, clay soaked toys which sit in clear boxes, reflect on lost memories of childhood through the transformation of materials.

William Lungas’ work also represents memories – those of architecture and archives.






Those who have chosen to represent concerns with the environment include Ken Yonetani with his wall panels and sculpture titled “The Dead Sea”. Similar in concept to his entry in the Venice Biennale 2009 the theme relates to the death of coral due to man’s destructive use of the environment. This time the works are not of sugar as in the Biennale but of white clay depicting many forms of sea life to make up a large panel of tiles and several sculptures on the floor nearby. The tiles are individually formed to represent the many different types of coral bleached white by the over abundant use of fertilizer on sugar cane fields which then leaches into the nearby ocean damaging the coral reefs. This happens not only in Queensland, Australia but also in other sugar cane growing areas around the world. One might merely think of this installation as interesting textured patterns unless being aware of Yonetani’s concern for the environment. Once one becomes aware of this aspect, the installation takes on thought provoking significance.
Gudrun Klix is also concerned about the environment. In this case it is the conflict between land use by European settlers and the Aboriginal traditions. Depicted as a small village or large homestead the buildings are finely built unglazed porcelain and the printed images on the sides are of various Australian animals and aboriginal figures. Each doorway is filled with desert sands.


A gentler approach is taken by Helen Earl with her multimedia installation grouping. The delicate leaves, flowers and seeds positioned around interesting objects invite the viewer to contemplate and “to become far more aware of the complex relationships and interactions between all forms of life and the planet, Earth.” (Quote from Artist’s Statement).


















International artist, Kim Dickey, currently Associate Professor of ceramics at the University of Colorado, Boulder USA, has reinterpreted the ceramic tradition of Bocage with her large sculptures. “She combines the excessive delicacy of porcelaineous flora with the austere and monumentality of a modernist aesthetic.” (Quote from Australian Triennale website).



Photographs do not do justice to this sculpture. The works are much more refined and the large proportions are inspiring.





Also from the USA is Virginia Scotchie whose work is presented on shelving as a wall installation.

Scotchie takes inspiration from everyday objects which are then reduced to absolute form before being pieced and coloured with tactile glazes.

Her work is light hearted giving new meaning to everyday objects that surround us.

There is a remarkable diversity of expression throughout this exhibition. It is pleasing to see that local ceramic artists’ work is both as inspiring and creative as their visiting peers.

References:

 Personal Notes of Exhibition
 Exhibition flyer
 Websites:
o http://faculty.arch.usyd.edu.au/art_workshop/
o http://www.abc.net.au/tv/sundayarts/txt/s2188852.htm
o http://australianceramicstriennale.com/component/option,com_eventlist/Itemid,22/id,17/view,details/
o http://www.freelandgallery.com.au/gudrun_klix.php
o http://www.galleryadagio.com/william-lungas.html
o http://www.colorado.edu/arts/3d/dickey.html
o http://virginiascotchie.com/gallery/pages/VScotchie_032.html