The Narrative Knot

Stories In Ceramics

2 December 2011 – 22 January 2012

Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney

Manly Art Gallery & Museum, in partnership with The Australian Ceramics Association (TACA) presents The Narrative Knot - stories in ceramics, the biennial exhibition showcasing contemporary Australian ceramics.

Featuring the work of twenty-six contemporary Australian ceramic artists, The Narrative Knot brings together works ranging from functional pieces to installation-based ceramics that all tell important stories.

Exhibition curator and ceramic artist Gerry Wedd explained that his interest is in work that has narrative content, “whether it is overt or covert, conceptual or concrete (and that) the idea of ‘The Narrative Knot’ implies interlocking or interweaving stories of (and about) making, as well as works that tell other stories.”

Wedd continued, “Since its very beginnings, ceramics (and pots in particular) have been carriers of stories. From Greek pottery to [Turner Prize winner] Grayson Perry, potters and painters have used the ceramic surface as a vehicle for storytelling. A vessel has … an endless surface that makes it ideal to use to tell stories.”

Manly Art Gallery & Museum Director Jackie Dunn said, “Our relationship with TACA goes back many years and our shows together are always highlights of the gallery’s exhibition program. This year, more than ever, we are seeing the strongly contemporary direction ceramics in Australia is taking. These works, by some of the most important artists in their field, tell stories through clay that are moving, amusing and challenging.”

Featured artists include:

Julie Batholomew (NSW), Mollie Bosworth (QLD), Deborah Burdett (NSW), Kris Coad (VIC), Terry Davies (SA), Trisha Dean (NSW), Lynda Draper (NSW), Helen Earl (NSW), Fiona Fell (NSW), Ashley Fiona (NSW), Honor Freeman (SA), Shannon Garson (QLD), Amanda Hale (NSW), Christopher Headley (VIC), Mary lou Hogarth (VIC), Jan Howlin (NSW), Marianne Huhn (VIC), Liz Low (VIC), Pru Morrison (QLD), Janet Mansfield (NSW), Robyn Phelan (VIC), Amanda Shelsher (WA) and Dee Taylor-Graham (NSW), Barbara Campbell-Allen (NSW), Steve Davies (VIC), Mirta Ouro (VIC).

In conjunction with this exhibition, Manly Art Gallery & Museum will present:

PROmotion curated by Dee Taylor-Graham. PROmotion marks the 50th anniversary of The Journal of Australian Ceramics with both newly created work from selected practitioners and pieces from the ceramics collection of Manly Art Gallery & Museum.

In the months leading up to this exhibition, artists have been blogging about their making process, their work and ‘The Journal’ as a source of research material.

Featured artists in PROmotion: Joey Burns, Owen Carpenter, Jan Downes, Charmain Hearder, Keiko Matsui, Josephine Pittman, Anne-Maria Plevier, Maria Vanhees and Jo Wood.

Exhibition dates: 2 December 2011 – 22 January 2012

A Manly Art Gallery & Museum exhibition in partnership with The Australian Ceramics Association.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Artists’ Floor Talk

3pm Sunday 11 December 2011

With Vicki Grima, Editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES CONTACT:
Manly Art Gallery & Museum

West Esplanade Manly NSW 2095

Contact: Tanya Graf T: 02 9976 1419

E: artgallery@manly.nsw.gov.au