Home > VISUAL ARTS > Convergence: Pottery from Studio and Factory

• Tweet
• Outlook
• ICAL
• PRINT
• Email
• Feedback

• RSS

Convergence: Pottery from Studio and Factory

Presented by Philadelphia Art Alliance at Philadelphia Art Alliance

February 11-May 3, 2010

Comment on Facebook

 Convergence: Pottery from Studio and Factory. Examples of work by 36 artists/designers from the United States and Europe, including mass-produced and limited edition objects by well-known designers, short-run “boutique” ceramics commissioned for high-end retailers, objects produced on a contract basis by independent designers, and the work of studio potters who embrace industrial techniques and the aesthetic of industrial design. Artists include: Heather Mae Erickson, Paul Eshelman, Karen Swyler, Andy Brayman, Kristine Morich, Paul Kotula, Alain Goyer & Denise Bonneau, Janet DeBoos, Marek Cecula. Until recently, studio pottery and industrial ceramic production have existed in entirely separate spheres. But the line between them is becoming increasingly blurred. The current generation of studio potters is far more open to inspiration from industrial design, popular culture, and fashion than their predecessors, and industrial design today is also less regimented than even a few decades ago. Recent developments in prototyping technology, small-batch production and web-based marketing, along with a tremendous expansion of public design awareness, have created surprising new opportunities for making and selling objects of all kinds.
This exhibition will explore the effects of these changes in contemporary ceramics, focusing on functional wares that cross, expand, or confuse the boundaries between industrial design and studio production. The works on view will include studio pottery that relates to the aesthetics of industrial design, mass-produced and limited edition objects by well-known industrial designers, and “self-generated” ceramics produced and often marketed by independent designers. The context in which these objects are made and brought to market will be an essential component of the exhibition. Retail prices will be noted on the labels, brief texts will describe the makers' background and intent, and images of design offices, manufacturing plants, potters’ studios, and retail outlets will accompany the works on view. Industrial and studio ceramics are often considered antithetical to one another. This exhibition will attempt to expand our understanding of the meaning of craft in the contemporary marketplace. Curated by Jody Clowes, commissioned by The Clay Studio, Philadelphia. This show is one of over 90 exhibitions that are part of INDEPENDENCE: The 44th Annual NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) conference taking place in Philadelphia from March 31 – April 3, 2010 hosted by The Clay Studio. For a complete list of programmed exhibitions, visit: http://www.phillyfunguide.com/printplusclay