We mentioned 100th Gallery’s opening back in May, as the gallery that gives a damn. The gallery, under the management of Charles Hardman, has hosted many artists since then, allowing up and coming artists to exhibit their work in a fantastic environment.
The Abstract Impressionism exhibit will see one of the gallery’s first ceramics exhibitions. Sculptor Rachel Buse’s Living Vessel collection will be displayed in the company of painter Colin Topp’s pieces.
We caught up with Buse to get the background on her other-worldly ceramic pieces, christened ‘living vessels’. “My very first Living Vessel was made when I was in University, in ceramic pottery class,” Rachel explains. “I was trying to practice throwing on the potters wheel, and was not succeeding. The vases I tried to make just fell over and slouched down. The deformed vases reminded me of human forms. I was also studying religion and philosophy, along with art. The human-like pottery reminded me of things I was studying in those areas. So, I set out to purposely make human-like vessels, and further explore those themes.”
Buse does not sketch pieces before creating them, but has an idea of the general shape of a piece and how many handles or spouts it will have before beginning. “I then just let the clay do what it wants really,” she says. “They grow organically, that is why they look so alive. If I don't like how it is going I just squish it and start again. Clay is easy that way.”
The pieces do indeed have human-like characteristics, with handles reminiscent of hands on hips, and a multitude of attitudes to be found in the forms. Perhaps the most wrenching pieces are the ‘hardened hearts’. Appearing in biological form, they intriguingly, and somewhat disturbingly reflect their title. “I expected Living Water vessel to be my favourite, and I do like it a lot,” says Rachel “It is surprising to me, but I have a connection with the Hardened Hearts. I think everyone has gone through a time when they felt emptied and broken, like they were crawling through life. I identify with them.”
It’s fitting considering Rachel’s state of mind when she began the collection. “I considered my own purpose very much. These forms were thought of a few years after I graduated University. During that time, I was financially struggling and moving from state to state. I was unable to actually make art for six years. I was not functioning as an artist. I thought I was born to be an artist, and couldn't understand why I was not allowed to fulfil my purpose. I keep on thinking of these forms and realised something. A vessel needs different parts to perform different purposes to work together. It needs handles to be picked up, and spouts to pour, and a foot to stand on. I had to realise my purpose was also multifaceted. We all need to find balance in our purposes.”
100th Gallery has extended an invitation to readers of (small)LUST to attend the opening of Abstract Impressionism on Thursday 25 August from 6.30pm. RSVP to: Charles@100thgallery.com
The exhibition runs from Wednesday 24 August until Sunday 4 September 2011.