In this stunning group exhibition 11 BC-based artists have created a series of installations of extraordinary ceramic works that express opinions and offer commentary on the state of the world around us.
The exhibition showcases the work of Judy Chartrand, Ying-Yueh Chuang, Gathie Falk, Jeremy Hatch, Ian Johnston, David Lambert, Glenn Lewis, Alywn O’Brien, Bill Rennie, Debra Sloan and Brendan Tang. Internationally recognized, each of these local artists is acclaimed for their fearless work in the form of ceramic sculpture. They are elite talents working in clay, the most accessible of mediums, pushing it to new limits and examining the complexities of our culture to inspire fresh perspectives and considerations.
The collection of works as a whole is spectacular, tempting viewers to approach closer, only to discover that nothing is quite as it appears. Individually, the ceramic pieces may appear to be nostalgic, humorous, fragile, beautiful or unassuming, but closer inspection reveals provocative commentary on issues like social injustice, racism, identity and censorship. There are many layers of technical prowess and symbolic power to uncover in these sculptures, superbly demonstrating clay’s infinite artistic possibilities.
In Playing with Fire, the artists defiantly and boldly challenge the notion that all things made of clay are required to be functional; in their works, clay is released from this constraint and elevated into extraordinary works of art.
Curator: Carol E. Mayer
Read the comprehensive Museum Note on this exhibition online here.
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