Jeffrey Gibson • Hilary Harnischfeger • Joel Otterson • Lisa Sanditz · 2016-03-03 · Hilary...
Transcript of Jeffrey Gibson • Hilary Harnischfeger • Joel Otterson • Lisa Sanditz · 2016-03-03 · Hilary...
CONVENEJeffreyGibson•HilaryHarnischfeger•JoelOtterson•LisaSanditzThisexhibitionfocusesonfourartists,JeffreyGibson,HilaryHarnischfeger,JoelOtterson,LisaSanditznottraditionallytrainedinceramics,butwhomayincorporateclayintotheirrespectivepractices/works.Eachartistunitesvaryingordisparatematerials,referencesdomesticorarchitecturalenvironments,andoftenevincesaninstallationsensibility.ConvenewasorganizedinconjunctionwithMaker,MentorsandMilestones,the50thAnniversaryConferenceoftheNationalCouncilonEducationfortheCeramicArts(NCECA)inKansasCity,March16-19,2016.TheOpeningReceptionandLecturewillbeonMarch15,2016.JeffreyGibsonIamamemberoftheMississippiBand
ofChoctawIndiansandhalfCherokee.ThisissomethingthatIamproudofbutitmeansthatIalsohavehadtonegotiatewhatbeingNativeAmericanmeanstootherpeopleallofmylife.Myworkisheavilyinfluencedbytheaesthetichistoriesofmanydifferenttribesandspecificartists,howthatworkhasbeencollectedandexhibited,andmanyofmymaterialandformatdecisionsaredrawndirectlyfromthesehistories.- JeffreyGibson
Farfromtraditional,twohulking,figuralsculpturesnonethelessemergefromaplaceofdeepheritageforGibson.Withceramicheadssetonspindlywoodenframes,thesefiguresarecloakedinblankets,weigheddownwithtassels,beads,andtheneonribbonsandtinjingleconesfavoredforcontemporarypowwowdanceoutfits.Thickbeadingspellsoutphrasesontheshouldersoftheblankets.Thejingles,originallyinventedbytheAnishinaabeoutofsnuffboxlids,areheresourcedfromapowwowregaliacompanywhichproducestheminTaiwan.SpeaktoMeinYourWaySoICanHearYou(2015)standsonfourwoodenlegs,red,orange,blackandblueglazepouringdownitsclayface,Gibson’spointsofreferencefortheseceramicheadsareeffigypotsfromtheMississippianculture,acivilizationancestraltotheChoctaw,andheisinterestedinthealternativehistorythis
Hilary Harnischfeger, Crossover, 2012, paper, ink, plaster, porcelain, pigment, crushed glass, prehnite, zeolite, sulfur, datolite, pyrite, quartz, 43 1/2 x 36 x 6 inches, 110.5 x 91.4 x 15.2 cm
culturerepresents.Thereisaviolencetothesefigures;theireyesweepandholesintheirheadsopenuplikevisceralorifices,suggestingpuncturewoundsandbulletholes.Theviolencerecallsanotherhistory,thatofcolonialconquest,whichtheUnitedStatesstillfailstofullyrecognize.Gibson,whohasworkedwithcollectionsofNativeartatinstitutionsincludingtheFieldMuseuminChicago,wasoncetoldhowtorecognizetheholeinahideshirtwasmadebyabullet.Hesaysthesefigurescomefromatraumaticplace,yetarecathartic.-ChristopherGreen,Hyperallergic,2015HilaryHarnischfegerHarnischfeger’swall-mountedandfree-standingworkswiththeiruseofclay,plaster,paper,ink,andminerals,continueherexplorationofthesedisparatematerials.Steelsupportsandwoodenelementsarenewadditionstothework,alongwiththeintroductionofdrawingandbrushstrokes.Notwantingtodirectlyalterthesurfacequalityofthehydrostone,Harnischfegersubtlycuresoilpastelmarks,anddrawings,ontotheceramicsurfaceitself.WorkingoutofanoldbarnlocatedinthenorthwesternpartoftheCatskillMountains,Harnischfegerreliedheavilyuponthatlandscape-thebarnitself-andherfamily’sconstantpresenceinthosespacesforbothmaterialandconceptualinspiration.Thesesourcesincludetheunexpectedmomentsofsteeprelief,wherecreeksandrivershaveerodedtheland,themortiseandtenonjoineryandhand-hewntimbersholdingthe100-year-oldbarntogether,andherchildren’soverallfascinationwithnatureandtheirsurroundings.Referencingboththebodyandthelandscape,thesenewworkstendtobeatoddswiththemselves,bothrawandoverworked,adroitlycraftedandaccidental,peacefulandviolent.Theverticalfree-standingpiecesareconfidentintheirverticality-butinkeepingwithHarnischfeger’sinherentcontradictions-balancedwhilethreateningtofallover,proppedupbymetalbrackets,ornothingatall.Similarly,thewall-mountedpiecesmadeofheavyceramicsandgemstonesbecomeweightlessastheyfloatonthewall.“Verywell,thenIcontradictmyself,Iamlarge,Icontainmultitudes,”Harnischfeger’sworks,likeWhitmansaidofhimself,areinherentlyinconflict.JoelOttersonArtistJoelOtterson’ssculptureisabricolageofdomestichandicraftwithtraditionalsculpturalmaterials,attimesblurringthelinebetweenhighandlowculture,artandcraft.Copperpipe,woodworking,pottery,concrete,marble,blownglassandneedleworkaresomeoftherawmaterialsandtechniquesthatheemploys.Ottersonhashadanongoinginterestinthedecorativearts,fromitsmostelegantforminthecabinetryofAndré-CharlesBoulle,and18thCenturySevresporcelain,toartisanalhandicraftanddomesticlabor,likelawnornamentationorquiltmaking.Hedescribeshisartpracticeas“fromcrochettowelding,andeverythingin-between.”WhenacuratoradmiredOtterson’sceramiccollectionofover200piecesofAmericanpotterybyMcCoy,RedWing,Roseville,Weller,andothers,hecommentedthatOttersonshouldmakeasculptureoutofthecollection,whichbecametheworkTheAmericanPortablePotteryMuseum(1994).Thepotteryisplacedinastructuremadeofcopperplumbingpipeandfittings,organizedbycolor—brownonthebottomlikethegroundandtrunkofatree,withgradationsofnaturalshadesofgreen,endinginwhite,suggestingthecloudsinthesky.Twentyyearslater,therenownedcurator/collectorBethRudinDeWoodyapproachedOttersontomakeawallofchinaoutofhereclecticcollectionofwhitepotteryfromthe1920stothe90s,includinguniquepiecesofCzechoslovakianpottery,amassedoverathirty-yearperiod.OttersonnotedthatmanywereofaModernistflare,and,originallydesignedtoholdfloralshopbouquetsbeforethenowcommonlyuseddisposableplasticvases.Theresultingsculpture,TheWhiteWallofChina(2014-16)exudescalm,likeawhitesnowcappedmountainorfloatingcloud,butinitswhitenessalsosuggeststheerasureofthefunctionalobject.- CarolAnnKlonarides
LisaSanditzUtilizingbothpaintingandsculpture,LisaSanditzcontinuesherexplorationofthecomplicatedexchangebetweencommercialmodernizationandthenaturalenvironmentintothethree-dimensionalrealm.HersubjectsaredrawnfromtravelingthroughouttheUnitedStatesandexaminingplantsandfarms,largeandsmall.Throughbuilt-up,vibrantpaintingandexpressivecactisculptures,Sanditzexposestheoftenwastefulandharmfulprocessesbywhichourplantandour
foodsgetfromfarmstoourkitchensandgardens.InthepaintingSurplus(2014),Sanditzpilescorndirectlyontothecanvas,creatingamomentousmountainofgoldandorangepiecessettledinthemiddleofaquaintfarmingtown.ThisisanactualdepictionofWheaton,Minnesotain2012,whenunusuallyfavorableweatherresultedina$17millionglutofcorn,whichhadtobepiledupatthelocaltrackbecausethetown’ssiloscouldn’taccommodateallofit.Thepaintingrevealstheabsurdityofthesheervolumeofcorn(theequivalentofnearly160millioncansofit),forcingattentiononthefarms’outputaswellasthescaleofproduction.Inthesamemanner,thecropcirclesinPizzaFarms(2012)looklikeendlesspiecharts,theheapsofjeering,decayingJack-O-LanternsinRottingHalloween(2013)arepartsofalarge-scalecompostingfieldinNewYork,andtheairplanesexhaustintheskiesofCropDusters(2013)revealthesumofaday’spesticidedistributioninthehazyair.IfSanditzseesabsurdityintheconsumerprocessoffoodproduction,shealsofindsitinthefarmingofplantsforourmeticulouslycultivatedpublicandprivategardens,asinthecactifarmsshevisitedinTucson,Arizona.Inherarrayofceramicinterpretationsthroughoutthegallery,theartistexaggeratesthephysicalityofhersubjects,imbuingthemwithcreaturelypersonalities—loopylimbs,redandbluepolka-dottedskin,orfluorescentporcupinespikes.Butthehat-likeStyrofoamcupsthatdrapeofftheirheadsareactuallyusedbycactifarmerstokeeptheirappendagesfromsnappingoffinthecoldseasons:theyaren’tadecorativelibertytakenbytheartist.Whatappearstobeapasserby’sdistastefullytossedtrashisactuallytherecyclingofsyntheticmaterialstoprotecttheseplants,apeculiarintersectionofthetotallymanufacturedandthetotallyorganic.Itisatthispointofincongruitythatweareconfrontedwiththedisparitybetweenourfairytaleconceptionofourplants,foodsandfieldsandthemanipulatedenvironmentsthatallowourconsumerismtothrive.