At its best, a juried exhibition can capture the breadth, depth, and complexity of a moment in making, bringing disparate voices into illuminating conversation (although not necessarily in harmony). Taken together, the submissions for the 2018 State of Clay juried exhibition exemplify the expansive sense of possibility that is inherent to clay, which can say and do most anything depending on the hands and mind that shape it.
It was my great privilege to spend time with the diverse selection of works submitted, which ran the gamut: sculptural statements ranging from enthusiastic to elegant; functional wares for both the special occasion and daily celebration; vessels which wanted to be vessels and vessels that tried to look the other way; utter abstraction to affecting realism; works which interpret the past and those which push us into the future; and objects of all manner showing the potential of working cross-media or thinking about clay as canvas. I offer my most sincere thanks to each artist who applied for sharing your abilities, ambition, passion, and dedication to your practice.
The works chosen for the exhibition are ultimately those that displayed a strong degree of creativity and resolution across several areas, in equal measure. I hoped to see creative composition and design alongside, and in dialog with, a skilled and self-assured approach to one’s chosen way of making. I was also looking for the immaterial quality which draws one into a compelling work of art and begs for additional time and consideration; this is, unfortunately, much more difficult to discern from the photographic image than the “real” thing, especially for three-dimensional objects. Even so, that ineffable spark managed to shine in many entries, making the job of selecting only seventy-seven pieces from a pool of about 500 a difficult one. The final collection offers a glimpse into the vital and engaging landscape of Massachusetts ceramics today.
Emily Zilber
2018
