There are a lot of ceramics-related things going on in NYC right now, but I want to take a moment and highlight a few exhibitions which I think are absolute must-sees. Three different museums are currently hosting amazing shows:
First, if you enjoy the old tradition of Maiolica ceramics, you need to visit "Renaissance Maiolica: Painted Pottery for Shelf and Table" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The exhibition shines a spotlight on the Met's own collection of Italian Maiolicas, timed to coincide with the publication of a new book, "Maiolica, Italian Renaissance Ceramics in The Metropolitan Museum of Art," by Timothy Wilson. The 75 objects in the show are from different workshops around Italy: Urbinno, Deruta, Naples... all of them masterpieces of Italian ceramics.
Next, the Frick Collection has an exhibit entitled, "Porcelain, No Simple Matter: Arlene Shechet and the Arnhold Collection." The show focuses exclusively on porcelain works from the Royal Meissen factory, detailing aspects ranging from production to collecting and displaying.
And finally, the Museum of Arts and Design has THREE ceramics expos, each more exciting than the last: "The Breakthrough Years," by Voulkos; "Forbidden Fruit," by Chris Antemann; and "Tell It By Heart," by Coille Hooven.
From MAD's website:
"Spanning the years 1953–1968, Voulkos: The Breakthrough Years is the first exhibition to focus on the early career of Peter Voulkos, whose radical methods and ideas during this period opened up the possibilities for clay in ways that are still being felt today."
"Chris Antemann: Forbidden Fruit celebrates the collaboration between Oregon-based artist Chris Antemann and the renowned MEISSEN Porcelain manufactory. In 2011 Antemann was invited to participate in MEISSEN’s Art Studio Program, where she worked closely with MEISSEN’s master artisans to create unique pieces and a series of limited editions that strike a perfect balance between her distinctive style and MEISSEN’s identity. These pieces are arranged in Forbidden Fruit as a grand installation that reinvents and invigorates the great figurative tradition."
"For over fifty years, Coille Hooven has been working in porcelain and creating psychologically charged sculpture that explores domestic-centered narratives from the kitchen to the bedroom. One of the first ceramists to bring feminist content to clay, Hooven uses porcelain to honor the history of women’s work, confront gendered inequality, and depict the pleasures, fears, and failures of partnering and parenting."
Be sure to check out these great shows!