Curatorial Statement:
The Low Down: Tales From The Margin is an exhibit of contemporary ceramics, which are bothhonest and current, reflecting narratives that are personal and shared, abstract and implied. The concept began with a volley of ideas and artists, until a group emerged whom consistentlygenerate objects that toy with definitions and tease visual, historical and/or technical boundaries. The second factor in our selection process was intent to extol the achievements of artists generating their main body of work within low temperature ranges.
Max Lehman, Carole Epp, Alex Kraft, Nick Ramey, Julie Guyot, Jason Bige Burnett and Melissa Mytty have created a spirited and vibrant collection of objects, the best of which will pull the viewer in to the tales they spin. Formal compositions pair sparse grounds with overwhelmed figures and the viewer is left to decide if the decadence is for the better or not. Some of the more obvious narratives still leave ample room for audience interpretation; and, like a visual mad-lib, we can fill in the blanks. There are elaborate dialogues between material pairings made in fantastical, imaginary worlds alongside very evident social commentary with an extremely clear point of view. This is an exhibition for a modern world with visual “sound bites†for those in search of over stimulation, however if one chooses to go deeper the conversation thread is there to pick up and carry. Perhaps this what can happen when a graphic novel impacts the oft-insular world of clay?
The exhibit is a targeted snapshot of a specific area of inquiry in the field of ceramics. A peripheral group generating more and more buzz and not just from the hum of an electric kiln. The Low Down: Tales from the Margin is a celebration of the creative exploitation possible with electric coils and eutectic compositions.
View the whole show online here.
PO Box 1527 Red Lodge, MT 59068 Ph. 406.446.3993
