‘Cracked’ at Tristan Hoare Gallery

A show of hand-built ceramics, curated by Leonie Mir, as part of London Craft Week 2021. Some of my highlights …

001 Sophie von Hellermann
‘Descent’ and ‘High Tide’, 2021, porcelain

Working with clay in a way that feels close to drawing.

002 Tancredi di Carcaci
Untitled, 2021. Stoneware, tenmoku glaze.

A soulful figure swaddled in scallop shells. For some reason makes me think of the nursery rhyme:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells
And pretty maids all in a row.

003 Woodland figures
Untitled, Paloma Varga Weisz. 2011.

Reminds me of the green man in British folklore.

Dans la Forêt by Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, 2021. Black clay, white glaze.

The milky white glaze over the dark clay is very effective.

004 The Sun and Moon
Sol – Sulis Minerva by Rafaela De Ascanio, 2021. Stoneware

The inky black glaze contrasted brilliantly with the dry matt heat of the sun. Fantastic bulbous form.

Two moons, Two suns by Amy Bessone, 2020.

Almost collage like use of clay. Strangely like toppings laid on a pizza.

005 Ruan Hoffman

A glorious palette of plates. Mottled and irregular, hiding messages within. Delicious!

Inside, 2014. Porcelain decorated with underglaze, copper oxide and gold lustre.
I Collect Manias, 2021. Porcelain decorated with underglaze, copper oxide and gold lustre.
Anightamericana, 2020. Porcelain decorated with underglaze and copper oxide.
Dead to the World, 2020. Porcelain, coloured slip underglaze and gold lustre.
006 Tommaso Corvi-Mora
Clouds, 2020. Earthenware, underglaze paint.

Anthropomorphic containers. Seemingly alive, echoes of discarded packaging transformed.