Let's Look at Primitivism

New Primitives (primitive influences in contemporary ceramics)

Curated by Magali Gentric

Sharon Alpren, Andrei Davidoff, Irene Grishin-Selzer, Janette Kerr-Grant, Kim Jaegar, Kate Jones, Tessy M King, Vanessa Lucas, Tai Snaith, Petrus Spronk, Dawn Vachon and Alichia Van Rhijn 

13 August – 4 September 2016

Stockroom
98 Piper St, Kyneton, Victoria

 

Gentric statement for the exhibition, 'New Primitives brings together works by 12 Australian artist that feature a renewed engagement with primitivism in contemporary ceramics. Works in the exhibition reflect on primitive technique, form and aesthetic, with outcomes including sculpture, installation and functional objects.'

Tai Snaith

Alichia Van Rhijn

 

Irene Grishin Selzer

Sharon Alpren

 

  

Petrus Spronk

Kate Jones

 

Dawn Vachon

 

Vanessa Lucas

Janetta Kerr Grant

 

Andre Davidoff

 
 

Kim Jaeger

Tessy Smith

* Apologies for the flourescent tinted images

Benwell & Halpern

SAM Shepparton Art Museum 

October 2015

The superb 'wall of ceramics' display case at SAM is currently devoted to the work of two Melbourne potters Stephen Benwell & Deborah Halpern.

This duo is a brilliant combination, certainly not the first time they have been displayed together.  These works remain vital and shake off any lingering doubts about West Coast funk, or 80s cringe.

Congrats to SAM for a collection that has depth and longevity. Halpern's later work is represented by a mosaic sculpture. I'd love to see her get her hands muddy again and see what springs forth.

Installation is matched wonderfully with a contemporary wall piece. I wonder who did it?

Brendan Huntley Figuratively Speaking

Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne. September 2015
www.tolarnogalleries.com

Huntley continues to use thrown vessels as the structural form of his sculptural assemblage. Expression of the human head and torso have been gathered together in communicative groups.
The exhibition experience is retro-flight into abstract expressionism and channeling the accomplished and masculine ceramics of Peter Voulkos.

In this exhibition, Huntley's work lacks the fluid transition between the rigid symmetrical "pot-ness" of the wheel and the engagement of the hand-worked sculptural form. The increase in scale of these works may have contributed to his ability to maintain control of the ceramic form. His deliberate naive or beginner touch is the delight and success of earlier smaller works I have seen.  Colour, texture and brush work is lively and engagement motif across all of the work.

Brendan Huntley installation shot of 'Figuratively Speaking' 2015

Peter Voulkos 'Stack' 1955

Peter Voulkos's conversations, figuratively speaking c, 1950s