| ARTISTIC IMAGININGS IN CLAY
a juried exhibition of contemporary handmade tiles and architectural ceramics in the United States and PETER KING "ARCHITECTURAL PASSAGES"NEWS RELEASE September 28, 2001
For further information contact: Greg Svitil- Tel: (202) 458-6016- E-Mail: [email protected]The catalog for this exhibition will be available on-line at the time of the exhibition’s opening Artistic Imaginings in Clay, a juried exhibition of contemporary handmade tiles and architectural ceramics in the United States, will be open to the public from October 10, 2001 through January 15, 2002 at the Art Museum of the Americas (201 18th Street, NW). Architectural Passages, an exhibition of the work of architectural ceramicist Peter King, will be presented concurrently in the Art Museum of the Americas garden (between 17th and 18th Streets on Constitution Ave, NW). The official opening reception for both exhibitions will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2001 at the Art Museum of the Americas (201 18th Street, NW). Washington, DC: The Art Museum of the Americas and the Tile Heritage Foundation are pleased to announce the joint openings of Artistic Imaginings in Clay and Architectural Passages.
Artistic Imaginings in Clay brings to Washington a broad scope of works by contemporary artists which present recent developments to the ancient craft of tilemaking. Tiles are no longer simply a sanitary surface of practical function. An array of contemporary artists paint, glaze and sculpt their tiles , further blurring the traditional lines between the "decorative arts" and "high art." Some are even beginning to incorporate unconventional materials such as glass and metal in order to intensify their works’ visual impact. The current revival continues to push the medium in a steadily progressive fashion, incorporating decorative motifs of geometric and floral patterns. The last decade has seen a widespread rebirth of the ceramic arts. Currently in the United States tilemakers are producing an unprecedented array of wares. A rapidly growing interest in the handmade arts has resulted in countless gallery exhibits, museum shows and books. Bonnie Fry, organizer of last year’s tile exhibition at the Greater Reston Arts Center in Virginia, remarks on contemporary tilemakers’ capabilities of producing work that functions in both a practical and an artistic fashion. "The pieces…could stand on their own and be hung on the wall, but they could also fit traditional architectural niches in the kitchens, bathrooms, halls and gardens."
The jurors for this exhibition are Bonnie Lilienfeld (Museum Specialist, Ceramics and Glass Collection, National Museum of American History), Robert Devers (Professor of Ceramics, Corcoran College of Art and Design, and American University) and Ana Maria Escallon (Director, Art Museum of the Americas). For Artistic Imaginings in Clay, two major prizes are being awarded to artists for exceptional execution of technique and for inventiveness. Rosalind Meieran, of Phoenix, Arizona, will receive the Juror’s Prize for her piece, "A Bright Day in the Old City." Bonnie Lilienfeld explains that "its evocative colors and detail--its movement and its lyricism--draw the viewer into the hustle and bustle of modern day life in a traditional, historic city; a perfect icon for the medley of old and new traditions in the show." The Tile Heritage Prize is being awarded to Eric Rattan, of Madison, Wisconsin, for his work, "Autumn Color." Ms. Lilienfeld writes that "this wonderful tile carpet, composed of 1000 handmade stoneware tiles with five color grouting, carries on the tradition of the Malibu Tile carpets and incorporates the flora of the American landscape." In his statement for the exhibition, Robert Devers says "the works in this show explore a variety of ideas and approaches to tile making and their multi-faceted ability to reference a variety of spaces. From architectural to narrative-pictorial to the purely sculptural, the range of ideas in this show is matched by the incredible range in richness and beauty achieved by the fusion of clay and glaze."
Finally, Ana Maria Escallon comments that "the final selection offers a variety of artistic statements ranging from the representational to the abstract evocation of forms, from the utilitarian in meaning to investigations of the concept of artistic object. These contemporary interpretations connect historical associations to the future and contribute to enriching the panorama of the visual arts."
Artistic Imaginings in Clay truly offers a broad scope of artists from all ends of the United States. The following artists are being included this exhibition- Nielsen Amon and Ruby Levesque (Brooklyn, NY), Adriana Baler (Kensington, MD), Ed Blackburn (Walnut Creek, CA), Margaret Boozer (Washington, DC), Francoise Choveau (Hereford, PA), John Constanza (Bryn Mawr, PA), John Donoghue (Bethesda, MD), Chuck Fitzgerald (El Cajon, CA), Joan Gardiner (Middleburg, VA), Jason Green (Somerville, MA), Karen Gunderman (Mequon, WI), Norma Hanlon (Minneapolis, MN), Kathy Harris (Wayne, PA), Deborah Hecht (Bloomfield Hills, MI), Michael Hough (New Hope, VA), Laszlo Illes (Nashville, TN), Amanda Jaffe (Las Cruces, NM), Francisco "Pancho" Jimenez (Campbell, CA), Ron Kovatch (Urbana, IL), Mary Kuilema (Lowell, MI), Eui-Kyung Lee (Philadelphia, PA), Beverlee Lehr (Palmyra, PA), Scott Meredith (Richmond, VA), Anne and Edward Nocera (Milanville, PA), Ellen O’Sullivan (Brooklyn, NY), Phyllis Pasin (Oakland, CA), Rose Quintana (Miami, FL), Marcia Selsor (Billings, MT), William Shinn (Santa Maria, CA), Beth Starbuck (Bethlehem, PA), Charles Timm-Ballard (Claremont, CA), Lea Topping (Alexandria, VA), Susan Tunick (New York, NY), Norma Wallis (Baltimore, MD), Diana Watson (Torrance, CA), Helen Weisz (Southampton, PA) and Ann Zerger (Moundridge, KS). Peter King is one of the most influential figures in the field of architectural ceramics today. From his studio in Pensacola, Florida, he creates monumental exterior sculptures as well as ornately detailed archways, fireplaces, wall facades and furnishings for residential interiors on a scale almost unimaginable in ceramics. He is the creator of the extraordinary entry gate at Annmarie Gardens in Solomons, Maryland, the largest freestanding ceramic sculpture in the country. For Architectural Passages, King has produced a traveling show of nine new exterior pieces: archways, columns and freestanding works. His goal is to showcase his concept of new age architectural ornamentation reflecting both his culture, and his view of the tension between technology and industrialism in the natural world.
Artistic Imaginings in Clay and Architectural Passages will both be on view at the Art Museum of the Americas from October 10, 2001 through January 15, 2002. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. The official double opening of these exhibitions will be held on Wednesday, October 10th at 6:00pm at the Art Museum of the Americas (201 18th Street, NW). Museum hours are Tuesday-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM. For further information or images, please contact Greg Svitil at 202 458 6016 (phone), 202 458 6021 (fax) or [email protected] (E-Mail).The catalog for this exhibition will be available on-line at http://www.museum.oas.org/ ********** |