RAW MATERIAL

WINTER CERAMICS POP-UP 

CO-CURATED BY CRAIG KRULL GALLERY & SLOAN PROJECTS

DECEMBER 8, 9 & 10, 2023

POP-UP HOURS:

FRI. 10-7

SAT./SUN. 11-5:30

ARTIST TALK & BOOK SIGNING: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, 11AM

PLEASE RSVP FOR THE ARTIST TALK BY EMAILING INFO@CRAIGKRULLGALLERY.COM OR CALLING 310-828-6410

RAW MATERIAL

DECEMBER 16, 2023 - FEBRUARY 3, 2024

ARTIST RECEPTION: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 4 - 6PM

THREE DAY LARGE-SCALE, GALLERY-WIDE CERAMICS POP-UP AND SALE WHICH WILL CONTINUE AS A SMALLER EXHIBITION WITH A ROTATING FORMAT THROUGH FEBRUARY 3, 2024 . FEATURING FINE ART SCULPTURE AND EVERYDAY FUNCTIONAL PIECES BY 25 ARTISTS WORKING LOCALLY AND ABROAD. 

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

EDO ANTAL

RAY BARSANTE

PEZ COCINADO 

DORA DE LARIOS 

STAN EDMONDSON 

STACY FONG

JORGE A. JIMÉNEZ JR. 

BIANCA JUAREZ

PEARL JUSEM 

AMY KIVNICK

KEVIN KOWALSKI 

STUDIO LOUX

CHRIS MILLER

BRITTANY MOJO

VINCE MONTAGUE

LUCAS PINCER-FLYNN

VICTOR REYES

NED ROCHE

DANIELA MARTÉN ROTHE

ELIZABETH SCOTT

ARIANE SHAHBAZI

KRISTI SHERMAN 

CLAUDIA V. SOLÓRZANO

PASCALE VAQUETTE

GINA ZYCHER

PRESS RELEASE 

Handmade objects feel like energy points of light that dot our material world. When we make objects, we communicate with this invisible realm, we dialogue with the unsaid. 

- Vince Montague, ceramist and author of Cracked Pot.

RAW MATERIAL is a group exhibition of twenty-five esteemed local and international ceramic artists, co-curated by Craig Krull Gallery and Sloan Projects. This exhibition begins with a three day pop-up filling the entire gallery, December 8-10. Along with fine art sculptural ceramics, the pop-up will also feature small handmade functional ware, and all works will be available to take home for the holidays. After the pop-up, the ensemble will be consolidated into the gallery’s small exhibition space and continue from December 16-February 3 in conjunction with solo shows by Diane Silver, Dominic Terlizzi and Taylor Kibby.   

Raw Material references the natural textures and tones of clay, an unglazed organic beauty, or the elemental matter that some of these artists shape into emotional narratives and raw self-reflections. Like dance, ceramics is an extraordinarily direct medium, containing a fluid evolving form in the cupping of one’s hands, or the clear evidence of fingerprints and actions of the body on malleable earth.

The installation will include large scale sculpture by Ray Barsante, coil built vessels by Brittany Mojo, Edo Antal and Pascale Vaquette, miniature, classically shaped vessels by Ariane Shahbazi, as well as personal narrative work by Elizabeth Scott, Jorge A. Jiménez Jr. and Lucas Pincer-Flynn. Claudia V. Solórzano references architectural elements of East LA, while Dora De Larios and Victor Reyes draw from ancient and contemporary Mexican culture, and Pearl Jusem reimagines ancient animal-shaped askos. Louise Martens’ playful figures in yoga poses recall Mayan and Aztec Chac Mool, while Pez Cocinado advocates for plastic free oceans in her colorfully inventive fish dishes and pots. The work of Kevin Kowalski, Chris Miller and Bianca Juarez take the alchemical, experimental aspects of glazing and firing to new levels of discovery. Stan Edmondson and Ned Roche deconstruct and reconstruct bull skulls and giraffes with tiny heads. Amy Kivnick, Gina Zycher, Kristi Sherman and Stacy Fong, all members of the ceramic workshop, Still Life Studio add modernist and historical touches to the ever evolving and deep history of vessel making. Also, on view for the first time in the US, are works by Costa Rican artist Daniela Martén Rothe, whose acrylic paintings of earth toned, egg-shaped abstractions are made with pumice stone, charcoal, sand and clay native to her country. Her gestural ovoids recall the stains and swirls of wet clay that result from the focused centering of material on the spinning potter’s wheel.

Finally, the exhibition highlights the painful and cathartic story of Vince Montague, who lost his ceramist wife in an accident and took up her career and passion in ceramics. On Saturday, December 9 at 11am, Montague will read passages of his memoir, Cracked Pot, and exhibition co-curator Hannah Sloan will lead a discussion with artist, Jorge A. Jiménez Jr.