Curatorial Statement
In the recent history of contemporary ceramics the words “innovative” and “design” have frequently been present when ink meets paper; sometimes with merit, sometimes less so. Any word used too often will lose impact and take one of two directions: slowly blend into the drone or evolve into a nagging linguistic tinnitus. Art and industry have historically taken turns inspiring the other, back and forth goes an amicable custody battle over verbal designations, but what really constitutes innovation today? Where does design reside, and, maybe a more interesting question is, how are the tenets of design impacting the world of fine craft?
We acknowledge the accepted fact: boundaries are a thing of the past. Still, with so many racing to reach the cutting edge, it might be interesting to look a little deeper into the thick of the fray. And so it is that Prototype, as a collection of objects, seeks to explore, exploit and enjoy innovation and design as points of conception.
pro-to-type n.
1. An original type, form, or instance serving as a basis or standard for later stages.
2. An original, full-scale, and usually working model of a new product or new version of an existing product.
3. An early, typical example.
The objects presented address contemporary queries in a sleek, straightforward manner or by redefining trusty standards (the plate for instance) with plays on surface design and process or by the maker allowing themselves a purposeful tumble down the rabbit hole. Each object is accompanied by an excerpt from the artists’ statements, illuminating their perspectives in relation to the objects presented.
We invite you to
Look. Read. Consider.