The Clay Studio Concludes 50th Anniversary with The Future of Clay, An Innovative New Exhibit, Illustrating the Future of Ceramic Art
Friday, October 25, 2024.
Pictured Above: Glazescape (Molten Cloud) by Lauren Mabry. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia, PA – The Clay Studio (1425 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122), Philadelphia’s preeminent ceramic arts and resident artist’s center, concludes its yearlong, 50th-anniversary celebration by unveiling an innovative new exhibition, The Future of Clay. For the exhibition, The Clay Studio assembled a diverse group of eight artists who embrace both traditional and modern techniques to illustrate how contemporary ceramic art is moving toward the future. The Future of Clay is displayed in The Clay Studio’s Jill Bonovitz Gallery from October 5 to January 5.
The Clay Studio’s 50th-anniversary celebrations culminate with The Future of Clay, a major exhibition highlighting artists who represent various communities and work at the cutting edge of what is possible in ceramic art. It also demonstrates the organization’s collaborative curation process, established in 2021, collaborating with an Exhibition Council of 15 community members to offer input on how to most effectively engage our neighbors with the exhibition artworks.
Pictured Above: Scaredy Cat (Mr.Meow) by Nick Lenker. Photo Credit: Contributed.
For the exhibition, The Clay Studio’s Curator and Director of Artistic Programming, Jennifer Zwilling, assembled a curatorial team comprising Anya Montiel, Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy, and Zindzi Harley. Together, each of the four curators selected two artists for The Future of Clay and presented them to The Clay Studio’s Exhibition Council before commissioning new works for the exhibition. The final collection features works by artists Anne Adams, Morel Doucet, Chase Kahwinhut Earles, Michelle Im, Kristy Moreno, Jolie Ngo, Cesar Viveros, and Holly Wilson.
“The Clay Studio’s 50th-anniversary celebrations conclude with The Future of Clay, shifting our gaze from honoring our past to celebrating how we will continue to make our mission relevant as we move into the next 50 years,” said Zwilling. “We asked three curators with different perspectives to join in shaping the exhibition, invited eight artists we have never worked with before, and continued our community-centered exhibition design process in collaboration with our Exhibition Council. The resulting exhibition is expansive and inspiring to our community and beyond.”
Ceramic art represents a link to the past as a traditional medium explored by cultures around the world. The Future of Clay artists celebrate the art form’s roots while bringing it into the future by exploring contemporary social issues or using computer-aided designs and 3D printing to enhance their creative practice. Vietnamese-American designer Jolie Ngo is known for using clay 3D printers and other modern tools to create futuristic pottery objects, which she then decorates with hand-painted geometric patterns or embellishments. The Philadelphia-born artist’s “Lantern Vessel in Aerial View” uses a clay 3D printer to build up bright-colored layers into an eye-catching vase that resists definition.
Fellow Future of Clay artist Michelle Im uses the vessel as a metaphor for the human body, addressing the psychological aspects of embodying conflicting cultural ideologies, such as individualism and collectivism. Through the lens of traditional Korean ceramics, Im examines the impact of historical and cultural forces on her Korean American identity.
Many featured artists use ceramic art to contemplate their cultural identities and address issues currently facing their communities. Anne Adams focuses on changing the narrative surrounding the quality and potential of ceramic as an art form in her home country, Nigeria. Working primarily in clay, she uses the coil technique in her works as a harmonious display of interactions with balance and indigenous design.
Similarly, Haitian born artist Morel Doucet creates abstract or realistic human figures to examine issues facing Black diaspora communities, such as environmental pollution, migration, and displacement. He draws inspiration from the indigenous cultures of the Amazon, Aboriginal people of Australia, and that Yoruba tribe of Africa, creating visually stunning ceramics, illustrations, and prints.
Pictured Above: “Turtle Jar” by Neil Patterson. Photo Credit: Contributed.
Figures are common in The Future of Clay, with each artist presenting unique perspectives inspired by diverse voices and cultures. For artist Kristy Moreno, her work celebrates female friendship, sisterhood, and chosen community, drawing inspiration from various D.I.Y subcultures. Born in Inglewood, California, her pieces “Key Lime Kiss” and “Mija Chula Chingona” blend elements of SoCal Latinx culture with the sugary aesthetics of late 1990s girl power and a retro-futuristic approach to fashion.
While Moreno’s works reflect her culture and empowerment, multi-media Indigenous artist Holly Wilson creates figures as storytellers, conveying stories representing family history and personal experiences. Her artworks reach a broad audience, allowing the viewer to see their connection, using various media such as bronze, paint, waxes, photography, and clay. Currently based in Mustang, Oklahoma, Wilson is an enrolled member of the Delaware Nation, Lenape, and Descendent of the Delaware Tribe of Indians that originated in the northeast region of the United States.
Ceramics have been found in cultures throughout the world, with each passing their traditions and techniques down through the generations. As an Indigenous pottery artist from the North American Caddo tribe, Chase Kahwinhut Earles’s ceramic and sculptural works faithfully recreate his tribe’s ancestral style, methods, and cultural identity while presenting his interpretations based on his experiences and artistic instinct. While some of his pottery, like “Large Caddo Util Jar,” resembles traditional vessels, Earles also contributed playful explorations of his practice with “Scout,” which resembles an Imperial droid from Star Wars, referencing pop culture ideas about the future.
Like the other artists featured in the exhibition, multi-media installation artist Cesar Viveros has dedicated his artistic practice to bringing communities together. Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Viveros is currently based in Philadelphia’s North Kensington neighborhood, where he creates murals, public art projects, and mixed-media installations addressing issues of gentrification, spirituality, and belonging.
As part of The Clay Studio’s collaborative, community-centered exhibition design process, The Future of Clay curators presented the final featured works from each artist to the Exhibition Council ahead of its opening. The curators collaborate with the 15 council members during the presentation to how best to make the ideas and concepts represented in artists’ works most meaningful to all visitors. These sessions enhance the exhibition’s overall presentation by developing descriptions for each piece reflecting the artist’s inspiration while making it accessible to a broad audience.
All artworks featured in The Future of Clay are available for purchase. For each sale, 50% of the proceeds directly support the artists, while the other 50% contribute to The Clay Studio’s direct programming, including community programs and operations. The Clay Studio over 35,000 people annually, through exhibitions, classes, studios, and the Claymobile that serves over 5,000 youth.
In the 50 years since its founding, The Clay Studio has earned its reputation as one of the preeminent centers of innovation in the ceramic art centers in the United States thanks to its modern facility, trailblazing Resident Artist program, and comprehensive community engagement.
All exhibitions are free to view, and The Clay Studio is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Pictured Above: Philadelphia’s Clay Studio celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Photo Credit: Contributed.
About The Clay Studio
The Clay Studio is a nonprofit arts organization with internationally renowned artist residency programs, classes and events, exhibitions, community engagement programs, a shop, and more. They serve as a place where established and emerging artists come to shape their careers, a vital resource for arts education at local schools and community organizations, and a destination where people from every neighborhood in Philadelphia and all over the world can explore the vast world of clay. Visit theclaystudio.org for more information.