The Exhibition Body & Soul: new international ceramics
presents sculpture in clay expressing potent ideas, which confront critical issues that challenge our societies worldwide: bullying, sexual abuse, gun violence, fear, and rebellion, as well as identity, anxiety, and environmental degradation. Of the twenty-four ceramists, thirteen are from France; others are from the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and Finland; several convey the history and experience of France in North Africa. Many come to clay as draftsmen, painters, or sculptors, and many are showing their work in the United States for the first time.
The artist with a social conscience who models in clay strives to capture both immediacy and passion through tactile manipulation. With a focused purpose, he or she creates a specific message of historic or current concern. Throughout art history, there have been two tracks of creativity: one that constructs "art for art's sake" (Victor Cousin, nineteenth-century French philosopher) and another that gives a voice to a cause - historical, philosophical, or societal. In recent years, the human figure has enjoyed a renaissance among artists around the world. Body & Soul: new international ceramics underscores the ability of the human form to convey intense emotions. Through the medium of clay, the figure becomes the catalyst for expressing the impact of contemporary pressures.
The impressive artists in this exhibition reflect not only their own experiences and history but also the influence of earlier artists who chose to create art that embraces the challenge of complex and controversial matters. All the artists in this exhibition have taken this courageous path. Nothing is pretty or decorative; each work has poignancy.
We hope that Body & Soul: new international ceramics will promote dialogue and discussion, conversation and contemplation regarding the societal issues and problems that these artists so passionately express. We congratulate and thank them all for their creativity and their commitment to address the human condition with raw power and pathos.
Rather than one major academic essay, we chose to invite several outstanding participants in the art world to offer their insights on the art presented and the issues raised by these artists. We thank them for their thoughtful comments in response to Body & Soul. (These essays appear in the catalog.)
Wendy Tarlow Kaplan
(Abridged curator's statement from the catalog)
Denmark has a long and rich tradition of creating ceramic works of art. From The Kilns of Denmark: Contemporary Danish Ceramics explores the work being created today, tracing the classic vessel form in its evolution as a vehicle for abstract ideas.
Just over twenty years ago, William Hull assembled work of forty—six Danish ceramists into a traveling exhibition entitled Danish Ceramic Design. Not since then have artists, collectors, and museum visitors in the United States had the opportunity to share in a broad View of this Danish art form. While many of the ceramists shown in that 1981—1982 exhibition are actively producing objects today, they have been joined by a new generation of well—trained, highly disciplined, and enormously creative younger artists.
Our exploration into contemporary Danish ceramics began in 1998 with visits to the studios of more than eighty ceramists. This investigation of the current trends in ceramic work has been focused specifically on unika or “one off” pieces that have been shaped by the skilled hands of a single, dedicated artist. It became clear that for the Danes, the ubiquitous vessel continues to be at the core of a long tradition, with each successive generation of ceramic artists adding new interpretation, individuality, and exceptional energy. The vessel theme, revered for its timeless form, covers a wide range of nuances, its impact determined by the use of specific material, surface decoration, unusual glaze techniques and the tension produced from a subtle shift in shape or proportion. The poetic content varies in the hands of each artist.
This exhibition traces continuity and reflects upon new trends in Danish ceramics. It includes contemporary works by some of the artists last seen in Danish Ceramic Design along with work by a group of younger artists, some of whom are interested in experimenting in a more sculptural direction. Most of the pieces presented have been created specifically for this show, although, for context, a few pieces date back to the late 1980s. From The Kilns of Denmark: Contemporary Danish Ceramics seeks to provide a balanced view of a large body of work, highlighting the influence that the earlier generation of ceramists has had on subsequent generations. Together they share a reverence for structural form, a passion for controlled ornamentation, and an appreciation for aesthetics employing dexterity and discipline.
The artists featured in this exhibition have typically been educated at the art and design schools in Copenhagen and Kolding, which continue to play an important role in shaping the development of Danish ceramists. Not only have most of the artists had a firm grounding in the techniques of handling clay, but also many are fine draughtsmen. As a result of this training, precise drawings of the objects are often made prior to the expression in clay. A number of the artists in this exhibition are currently teaching at art schools and will likely influence the next generation to excel in working in this medium, and to uphold respect for the historical past of Danish ceramics. These teachers and artists tend not to introduce radical change, but rather to encourage the evolutionary development of ceramics in Denmark.
Tradition, therefore, remains at the core of what is typically Danish. From The Kilns of Denmark: Contemporary Danish Ceramics seeks to honor working Danish ceramists and their art. Of the group of thirty artists included, some have exhibited in Europe, but few have done so in the United States. It is our belief that the time has come for these talented artists to receive recognition far outside the borders of Denmark. We hope this exhibition contributes to a greater understanding and appreciation of their artistic commitment.
Wendy Tarlow Kaplan and Hope Barkan, Curators - July 2002
(Abridged curators' statement from the catalog)
Tiger by the Tail! Women Artists of India Transforming Culture offers a multifaceted examination of the challenges, confrontations and triumphs experienced by three generations of talented women artists of India. With a deep commitment to social justice, the 17 artists delved into the contested meanings of traditional myths, religious taboos, cultural nuances and political crises in the sub-continent. This exhibition was organized by the Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University and the principals of CAC. The exhibition took place at Brandeis and Rutgers universities in 2007-8.