Powerplay is the Thames Art Gallery’s biennial pottery exhibition guest curated by Chatham-Kent artist Andrea Vuletin, Powerplay: surroundings, concentrates on the theme of how one responds to, experiences, or is influenced by their surroundings.
This exhibit will bring together the work of 5 regional artists: Sylvia Nan Cheng (Toronto), Ania Czerwieniec (Blenheim), Lesley McInally (Cookstown), Bernadette Pratt (London) and Andrea Vuletin. The selected works fall into both sculptural and functional categories. Some artists have explored their surroundings in a literal sense through conceptual and installation based work which can be found in odd places around the mezzanine gallery. Other artist use imprints, textures and glazes to inform their creations and respond to their surroundings.
Guest curator Andrea Vuletin states; “What is our surroundings, a physical, social, psychological space? Do we inhabit our surroundings as integral and connected parts of a whole or do we exist separately each in our own bubble of understanding? What is our relationship to our surroundings? Do we shape it or does it shape us? It is this rich ground that is addressed through both the practice and expression of the five ceramic artists included in this show. Clay, a primal medium that requires physical engagement ties the artist directly to earth our elemental surrounding. The artist’s physical material knowledge resists the virtual and instead celebrates the actual, perhaps providing ballast to a steadily shifting cultural practice.”
Andrea has been a ceramic artist for over 15 years. She worked freelance as a painter and designer after graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design. She discovered her passion for clay while attending night classes at George Brown College. Andrea received her Bachelor of Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design with an illustration major and received a Ceramic Certificate from George Brown College. This is her third Powerplay as guest curator.
An artist reception will be held on the closing of the exhibition on Saturday, April 30that 7pm. The Thames Art Gallery is open 7 days a week, 1 – 5 p.m.
