Artist’s Statement: I am a ceramicist and I am openly addicted to clay. I
produce work that has a strong connection to popular culture and
embrace traditions in ceramics. The sculptures I create are inspired by
kitsch figurines, especially Red Rose’s Wade figurines and miniatures,
and include cultural icons and reference popular movements to create a
narrative within my work. It is important to me that I include humor in
my work and it is often impish or sarcastic and is sometimes politically
charged. I also like to make things creepy and disturbing. Each series I
do is very different from the previous and each explores a topic which
is influenced by my passions or movements in contemporary culture which I
feel I need to make a comment on.
http://www.louisboshoff.com/ is
a creative consultancy that specializes in curating collaborations
between artists, architects and designers in the fashion and interior
industries.
The artistic expression of ceramic
artist Ruan Hoffmann has steadily gained widespread and international
appeal; this by no accident though, since both his imagery and medium is
so universally accessible. His fickle remarks and poignant slogans are
the equivalent of latter-day t-shirt culture, and whilst his comments on
politics are quite colloquial, those works that refer to more generic
emotive issues find an easy audience everywhere by imbuing a sense of
intimacy. The use of ceramic plates as canvas, those ancient utilitarian
everyday objects, further enhance this element of closeness and even
though they may be misshaped and imperfect, it only strengthens the
metaphor within his work; the imperfections of humanity and himself. As
with many artists Ruan expresses his sentiments in a passionate and
direct way, but he often relies on the alchemic process of the kiln and
glazes to introduce an accidental poignancy to the work; in the shape of
a teardrop forming from some spilt glaze or a texture forming from some
unintentional combination of oxides. It is these accidents that are a
comfortable reminder that the struggle for control and predictability is
futile and suggests that we learn to perceive and appreciate the beauty
of imperfection. I strongly believe that the success of his oeuvre
derives from a very definite humanizing component; stretching across
skilled decoratively painted works, poetic text based slogans to ironic
and inadvertent self-revelations.
These videos are an introduction to his extensive body of work. Find more of his work here : http://www.ruanhoffmann.com/
If you would like to contribute to musing about mud in the form of a guest post that would be greatly appreciated. All I ask is that your context be ceramic and or craft related. Please send guest posts to [email protected]
ONEONTA, NY – Stephanie Rozene,
assistant professor of art at Hartwick College, will soon be included
in a community-wide, multi-venue biennial exhibition to be held at the
Everson Museum in Syracuse, NY. The project aims to highlight the rich
talent of artists across Upstate New York, with a special focus on
Central New York and the surrounding counties.
The exhibition, titled: “The Other New York (TONY): 2012” is
scheduled to open on September 22, 2012. Running from September, 2012
through early January, 2013, the exhibit will include a work from Rozene
entitled: 270: The Corrosive Use of Money in Politics. Rozene’s
installation, however, will be on display within the museum for the
entire year, per the request of Museum Director Steven Kern.
This project, comprised of 270 plates mounted on the wall, continues
Rozene’s investigation into tableware and American politics, and in
particular how European tableware was used as currency during the second
half of the 18th century by French Kings and Queens who wished to
demonstrate their wealth and power to other developed nations.
This work builds off of Rozene’s previous installation, The Politics
of Porcelain, (2011) which used porcelain tableware, and a border of
porcelain forms recalling rococo plasterwork to create place settings.
When hung on the wall, they created three vertical tables. This act of
hanging the china elevated its importance and status to that of a
painting. The work sought to begin a conversation about the importance
of china and its ability hold with it immense power.
270: The Corrosive Use of Money in Politics continues the
investigation of French influences on American china and politics. By
taking patterns and forms from two different china services, Rozene
alludes to the two main political parties in the US, their relationship
to money, power, and role in the upcoming presidential election (270
electoral votes are needed to elect a president), the increase of
Congress’ wealth from insider trading deals, and the glaring disparity
between the wealthiest and poorest in our economy. Through symbolism and
history, Rozene raises the question of money’s influence in politics
and how it affects the American people.
This body of work was supported by the Winifred D. Wandersee Scholar
in Residence Award at Hartwick College, The Milne Family Fund and the
Hartwick College Faculty Research Grant program. Assisting Rozene
throughout the course of this project were Hartwick College students Alexandra Forst ‘13, Elliot Henry ‘13 and Samantha McFarland ‘12.
In addition to the display, there will be an alumni reception hosted
by Hartwick at the Everson Museum in Syracuse, NY, on November 20, 2012
beginning at 6:30 p.m. At the reception, Rozene will give a gallery
talk and will speak about her installation.
For additional information on the upcoming Alumni Reception at the Museum, contact Director of Alumni Engagement Duncan McDonald at 607-431-4032 or at [email protected].
For additional information on the installation at the Museum, contact Rozene at 607-431-4833 or at [email protected].
ABOUT HARTWICK Hartwick College is a private liberal arts and
sciences college of 1,500 students, located in Oneonta, NY, in the
northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick’s expansive
curriculum emphasizes a uniquely experiential approach to the liberal
arts. Through personalized teaching, collaborative research, a unique
January Term, a wide range of internships, and vast study-abroad
opportunities, Hartwick ensures that students are prepared for the world
ahead. A Three Year Bachelor’s Degree Program and strong financial aid
and scholarship offerings keep a Hartwick education affordable.
