PAC-MEN, iPHONES, AND COOLWARE: Contemporary Ceramics by Sydney Albertini, Mouna Chamariq, Gary DiPasquale, Megumi Naitoh, and Jesse Small
About exhibition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
“Pac-men, iPhones, and Coolware: A Group Show”, in conjunction with All Fired Up!
Oct 3 – Nov 29, 2008
Madelyn Jordon Fine Art is pleased to present a group exhibition of works by five contemporary ceramists: Sydney Albertini, Mouna Chamariq, Gary DiPasquale, Megumi Naitoh, and Jesse Small, entitled “Pac-men, iPhones, and Coolware: A Group Show.” This exhibition offers a range of functional, sculptural, and conceptual works with an emphasis on the versatility of the medium. The show is in conjunction with All Fired Up! A Celebration of Clay in Westchester, a sixty-plus venue festival celebrating the clay medium in art-making – see below for addition details. An opening reception for the artists will be held on Friday, October 3, 2008, 6-8 p.m. Additionally, two other events will be held during the course of the show: a gallery talk by Megumi Naitoh on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 2 p.m., and a closing reception and pre-holiday party on Friday, November 21, 2008 from 6-8 p.m.
A highlight of the exhibition will be the conceptual ceramic work of Massachusetts artist Megumi Naitoh. Naitoh, who was awarded the NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) emerging artist award in 2007, will create an iPhone portrait installation comprised of over 100 digital mosaic images. Naitoh’s work contemporizes the mosaic tradition. While mosaics were historically used to reveal design and imagery, today’s digital image is often used in an opposite manner - to obscure nudity, obscene gesture or identity. As the Romans created mosaics of daily-life scenes, Naitoh’s mosaics reflect contemporary society’s daily-life activity…. online activity. According to Naitoh, “ Online activity has become a large part of our lives. Many of us probably have more than a couple of alternative online identities… to blog, to shop, to pay bills, maybe to meet people, but we never disclose our real names.” We are fearful of revealing our identity. By pixilation and abstraction, the digital portrait visually expresses this anonymity.
Another highlight of the exhibition is the exceptional, functional ceramics of New York artist Sydney Albertini. whose unique dinnerware line, created in 2000, has been featured on Design*Sponge, Food & Wine, W Magazine, Vogue, and Domino magazines. The artist hand paints her playful pieces with textured patterns and designs ranging from abstract dribbles and shapes to the organic – coral, cherry blossoms, and animal shapes. Albertini has designed individualized sets of dishes for clients Adriana Cisneros and Aerin Lauder.
Gallery favorites, Gary DiPasquale and Mouna Chamariq bridge the sculptural with the functional. The exhibition features DiPasquale’s richly textured slab-constructed vessels, inspired by classical Greek and Chinese shapes. Additionally, Chamariq’s "ELYA," collection of limited edition ceramic sculpture, handcrafted by skilled artisans in Marakkesh, Morocco, combines traditional craftsmanship with visually seductive, richly glazed contemporary forms.
Finally, Jesse Small’s porcelain cast sculpture series, Ghosts reflects visual influences from early videogames, street graffiti, and industrial design. His beautifully adorned, glazed characters recall the iconic Pac-Man game of the 80s in their shape; but are much more passive than the aggressors they play.
One thing is certain; the exhibition highlights the versatility the medium, the diversity of the artists and their multitude of ideas.
More on All Fired Up!....
This consortium project is being organized by the Westchester Arts Council and the Clay Art Center, with a steering committee of eight cultural institutions. All Fired Up! will include parallel exhibitions of regional, national, and international works of art that explore the breadth and depth of ceramic expression. All Fired Up! will be made possible in part through funding provided by a grant from the Empire State Development Corporation, and through grants awarded to the Westchester Arts Council from the National Endowment for the Arts, from the Art and Business Council of New York, and from Westchester County Government, with additional support from media sponsor Ceramics Monthly.
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