• RAW: the endless potential of clay

    31 Oct 20 - 21 Mar 21
Overview

Overview

Post Office Gallery
Historic Post Office, 51-67 Pall Mall, Bendigo VIC 3550
31 Oct 20 - 21 Mar 21
  • Monday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Tuesday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Wednesday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Thursday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Friday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Saturday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Sunday
    10:00am - 5:00pm
    Christmas day: Closed
FREE

Clay is a rich resource readily exploited for its artistic, practical and commercial potential. It is malleable, messy, resilient and alchemical with ceramic objects possessing an alluring potency distinct to their natural beginnings. Traversing the historical to the contemporary (with a nod to ancient origins and inspirations) this exhibition, drawn primarily from Bendigo Art Gallery’s diverse collection of Australian ceramics, reflects on the myriad transformations of the raw material of clay; extracted from the earth, moulded into form, forged through fire and embellished with infinite possibility. 

Abundant local clay deposits and a growing city sustained a bustling brick industry in 19th century Bendigo. In 1858 Scottish potter George Duncan Guthrie established Bendigo Pottery which has operated continuously since; through the decades manufacturing pipes, tiles, bricks, tableware and decorative artware. Unencumbered by the industrial expectation of mass production, from the mid-20th century, across Australia, independent studio potters embraced the freedom to experiment with form, surface treatment and firing techniques. Ceramic artists today continue to innovate with concepts, raw materials and techniques to explore the endless potential of colour, texture and form while retaining tangible links to tradition and the materiality of clay.

Featuring work by Janet Beckhouse | Tim Clarkson | John Daly | Janet Fieldhouse | Su Hanna | Dennis O’Hoy | Harold Hughan | Gloria Fletcher Thancoupie James | Amy Kennedy | Janet Mansfield | Jeff Mincham | Damon Moon | Milton Moon | Chester Nealie | Tania Rollon | Owen Rye |Shiga Shigeo | Vipoo Srivilasa | Marilyn Walsh | Tom Welch | Graeme Wilkie | Kirk Winter and Bendigo Pottery Pty Ltd.
 

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