The Majlis Gallery
Worldly Goods
Introduction
Everything that we see and use if not made by nature is made by man. Man has long utilized his ability to create new forms from earth’s abundant raw materials. A hewn out log, a shaped flint bound to a stick, a sun dried fur skin all made survival more tenable for Stone Age Man. His Bronze and Iron Age descendants took the making of objects to new heights. Our ancestors had been using fire for light, heat, and probably protection from predators for nearly a million years but it seems that its functional practicality went unrecognized until more recently. The cooking of food, for example, arose only around 200,000 years ago. Techniques to fire-harden spears and anneal cutting stones are likely to have been still newer inventions around 10,000 years ago. Significantly, the widespread use of fire especially for manufacturing purposes was one of the last great steps in the domestication of humans. Once our ancestors had learnt to fashion bronze and iron into vessels and tools, to convert silica into glass, extract and cast gold, silver and copper into ornaments as well to harden pottery with mineral glazes, the foundations were laid for a practice that continues to this day.
The Making of Things By Hand to Make Life Better. Worldly Goods is a celebration of this ethic, a bringing together from around the world a hierarchy of today’s “alchemists” who use their creative minds, bare hands, raw materials and often fire to produce objects that continue to explore the possibilities of the creative form.
Alison Collins
Contents Amanda Brisbane Anne Hudson Anthony Bryant Anthony Stern Giorgio Bonaguro Hennie Mayer Jonathan Andersson Jonathan Middlemiss Linda Styles Mustafa Ali Peter Collis Peter Wills Tone Von Krogh
Amanda Brisbane Sand Cast Glass
Amanda was born on the Welsh Borders in the UK. After studying glass techniques at university and obtaining a BA Honours degree (1st class), she chose to specialise in the technique of sand cast glass. This technique is spontaneous and fluid, allowing the forms to be free and organic in their making. A special bed of sand is prepared, then various forms are worked into the sand, making a negative shape, which is then filled with the hot molten glass. The sand mould is destroyed after each piece is made, thereby rendering it unique and unrepeatable. Amanda uses a chemical mix of raw oxides such as copper, cobalt and nickel to create her fantastic colours, giving each piece an individuality and intrigue of its own. She is continually inspired by glass and its constant challenges, with much of her inspiration coming from the sea and water. Glass, with its liquidity when hot, is a wonderful medium to express these fluid images. Amanda has exhibited throughout the world and undertaken many large projects, notably two atrium sculptures for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and more recently a public sculptural work for Birmingham City Centre and the new office headquarters for B&Q in Eastleigh, Southampton. More recently working with The Majlis Gallery Amanda has completed a 20 foot sculpture made up of over 300 pieces for the Address Hotel in Dubai. Amanda’s glass is exhibited in many museum collections, including the Corning Museum in New York. 4
Iridescent Ribbons, 70 x 70 x 82cm
Pearl Tiger, 68 x 88 x 66cm 5
Anne Hudson Ceramics
Memory Traces One of Anne’s favourite references is from Rose Slivka who states that “the object is the poet�. Anne firmly believes that a good object can sing, speak or give rise to narrative, ideas and concepts. The vessel is an abstract form in that it is a skin with a limitless potential to express meaning. Vessels are an integral part of our existence from womb, breast, cup to coffin and as such need our respect and reverence. For this exhibition Anne has made three bodies of work: Precious Earth: A visit to Antarctica made an aware of not only the awesome beauty but also the vulnerability of our planet. These vessels are made from porcelain, itself a precious material that reflects that fragility. The blue exterior glaze contrasts beautifully with the stark white and purity of the interior with the broken edge offering the horizon of an abstract landscape. Rare Earth: This group of vessels has been thrown on the wheel using porcelain and then altered to give the static shape a sense of movement. The glaze has been coloured using rare earth elements that allow for the beautiful translucent pastels on these vessels. The elements have the fascinating names of erbium creating the pink, neodymium that produce violet and praseodymium which produce a citrus colour. When she made these bowls she was reminded that like those basic elements we are just star dust combined together to create beauty. Memory Traces: This group of vessels relates to her pleasant memories of life in Dubai. The inserted screen printed patterns are of Arabic origin and remind her of many visits to The Majlis Gallery. The vessels have been thrown on the wheel in porcelain, then cut and the screen printed sections added. When completed the disturbed forms are reminiscent of the edge of a sand dune or the sail of a dhow. She feels fortunate to have travelled a great deal as all experiences add to our aesthetic sense and its expression. 6
Ice 7
Anthony Bryant Woodwork
After an eight year sabbatical Anthony has been producing a collection of refined Holly vessels. Their aesthetic form articulate his wish to preserve and celebrate the character and history of the British Holly tree; in particular Cornish Holly that grows slowly in difficult conditions, deep in the woodland. It sits gnarled and rugged in exposed hedgerows sculpted by harsh winds. Anthony acknowledges this embattled survival and maintains the imperfections of the wood, such as burrs and knots, in the finished pieces. Anthony’s subtle line and delicacy are successfully achieved through his outstanding technical abilities; he predicts and controls the warping of the medium by carefully studying the pattern and direction of the wood grain within the timber before he begins to turn it on the lathe. He does this when the wood is wet and green thereby allowing him to turn exceptionally thin-walled pieces and further exploit the dramatic warping which occurs rapidly as the vessel dries. “I am not concerned with function in my work. Instead, I prefer to explore the sculptural potential of the vessel at the physical limits of woodturning. My aim is to create powerful forms with poise and presence.”
Antony Bryant Alison Collins first met Anthony when she was researching the possibility of opening The Majlis Gallery in 1989. She was captivated by the passion that Anthony had for wood. His inate understanding of how it grows and changes after felling allows him to take wood turning to an entirely new level. Anthony has exhibited internationally and has work held in many public and private collections, including The V&A Museum, The Sainsbury Collection, Arizona State University, The Fitzwilliam Museum, The Contemporary Museum, Hawaii, Crafts Council The Contemporary Arts Society and The Liverpool Museum & Art Gallery. 8
Holly vessel - 25cm x 18cm wide
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Anthony Stern Glassmaker
“I have made glass my first language. I can express an endless variety of ideas and thoughts from the functional and prosaic to lyrical, healing and mystical.Set against this I am fascinated by the rituals of repetition.The physical focus achieved by glass blowing in a limited production team is my own personal yoga.”
Anthony Stern The studio produces everything from unique wineglasses to production ranges, lighting and chandeliers. Anthony’s signature pieces are the Seascape Bowls which are abstract paintings in glass. They appear in public and private collections worldwide.
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In the Reef, 23cm x 23cm x 26cm
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Giorgio Bonaguro Glass maker
Roots vases are ambivalent objects that want to combine simple lines with iconic shape. An outer clear glass cylinder is joined with an internal element in colored glass. These objects, made in blown borosilicate glass, are ambivalent because they can be used as decorative flower pots in two directions. “I think that my work is always between two factors: project and passion. A product must comply with a function, help in a behavior, but it must be always capable of causing a small emotion and empathy�.
Giorgio Bonaguro
Root vases Large Blue 12 x48 cm Medium Yellow, 12 x 35cm and Small Green 12 x 28 cm
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Hennie Mayer Ceramics
Leaning Tea Pots
This award winning South African ceramist works predominantly in earthenware, creating highly individual pieces. Using the expressive qualities of clay, composite shapes and colour, he turns strong forms and detailed surfaces into aesthetically pleasing vessels, objects and installations. His work is neither commercial nor mass-produced. Every single piece is individually formed and shaped, then repeatedly glazed and fired. Hennie’s work is exhibited in South Africa, Europe, the UK and Asia. He has participated in Ceramic Art London at The Royal College for seven consecutive years. His work has been included in numerous private and public collections,notably those of the Iziko Museums of Cape Town, Corobric Collection, King George V Gallery, Sasol Museum, Durbanville Clay Museum and The World Ceramic Foundation collection in South Korea . Hennie works and teaches from his studio in Durbanville near Cape Town. He is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and a fellow of Ceramics South Africa and a constant at The Majlis Gallery. Vases 14
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Jonathan Andersson Hand blown Glass
Sculptural Form Blue with copper, 220 x 200 x 100 cm
Jonathan was born into a family of glassmakers, he remembers visiting his father at Whitefriars factory, where he spent Saturdays helping out. He also recalls visiting his glassmaking Grandfather in both Denmark and Sweden. Beyond that birth and death certificates certify that glass has been in his family for 7 generations. It is unsurprising then that to Jonathan glass is not simply a material , it is an integral part of his identity. “Technically speaking glass is man’s first synthesized material, that is, it is not found in nature. Of course we don't often think about this and lets face it, most of us take glass pretty much for granted. Its the stuff we look through to keep the weather out. Or it’s the thing used to dispense drinks in, despite its fragility. However the qualities of glass and its history can be fascinating. I’ve learnt a lot about it but mainly I’m interested in its use as an artistic medium. Ever since I can remember I have had a desire, perhaps a need to make things happen. I’ve heard it called the “joie de faire”, the joy of making. There is something very primeval, very basic about taking very little and making something. Creating some-thing from no-thing. Or taking something which is less than nothing, some waste, some junk and making something beautiful, is a thing of wonder.” Barcode Glass Plate, Hand blown glass 72 cm
Jonathan Andersson 16
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Jonathan Middlemiss Hand Built Ceramics
Turning 2, 24(H) x 29(W)cm Jonathan is a ceramic artist specializing in finely made individual work. Despite its obviously contemporary form Jon is not greatly influenced by many contemporary ceramics genres but finds his inspiration in ancient history and spiritual practices of indigenous people around the world. The beautiful ceremonial work of the Anasazi in the Arizona desert combining creation myths and ritual function; early Christian icons; the ancient rock carvings and Bradshaw paintings by the people in the Kimberly area of Australia where a sophisticated shamanic culture thrived long before the aboriginals; the glassware of the Persian Empire; the tiles on the great facades of Samarkand; traditional Tibetan thankas. All speak to him with an old voice that is he feels is worth listening to. Â Recipient of many international awards and commendations, his ceramic work is in public collections and museums around the world. Over a career of 40 years he has had many solo exhibitions in Britain, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, the Middle East, America, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and New Zealand and has been featured in magazines, catalogues, dictionaries and other books. Gold Medal -13th Biennale, Vallauris (F)1992. Silver Medal - Kutani International Ceramics Competition (J) 1997 Honourable Mentions - Mino Triennale, Zagreb Triennale. Member of International Academy of Ceramics - Prague 1994 Collections include Keramion, Kestner, Taipai and Cologne museums. Immersion Veils1, 25(H)x26(W)cm 18
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Linda Styles
Hand Built Ceramics
2 fish, 2 birds pot 2013
Horse on a house pot (lime view) 2013
Linda is a London born but Cornwall based potter who exhibits widely around the UK and beyond. She came to clay relatively late having led a 'colourful' life, making her debut appearances as an undergraduate at the Tate Gallery in St. Ives (1994), moving onto Ceramic Contempories 2, at the V&A Museum, London (1995). She has work held in private and public collections, including the Gregg Museum of Folk Art, North Carolina, USA (2007). Sir Terance Conran commisioned her to design and make a range of breakfast tableware for Conran. Linda has maintained an intense academic profile for many years, during which time she was a visiting lecturer in Contemporary Crafts, Higher Education Course manager, curator and researcher at the Combined University of Cornwall and has directed Arts Council, Heritage Lottery and EU funded public art projects at Falmouth’s Municipal Gallery (2007-08). Since 2009 Linda has devoted herself totally to being a creative practitioner.
Horse on a house pot detail 2013 20
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Mustafa Ali Sculptor
Mustafa Ali, Syria’s foremost sculptor, was born in Latakia in 1956. Known for elegant, monumental sculptures that pierce the consciousness and underscore the fragility of mankind, he has been widely collected in the Arab world for nearly three decades. Mustafa has been a major contributor to the Majlis Galleries Exhibition programme since the mid 1990’s. He will be showing new works with us in Design Days 2013 After training in sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus, he continued his studies at the Fine Arts Academy in Carrara, Italy, graduating in 1996. He has exhibited extensively on the international art circuit since 1979 and has participated in a number of high-profile events such as Latakia Sculpture Biennial (where he was awarded the Golden Prize) (1997), the Biennial of Alexandria, Egypt (1994), the Sharjah Biennial (1995), and the International Symposium for Sculptors in Valencia, Spain (2001). Ali’s work is housed in private and public collections, including a number of official institutions in Syria such as the National Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Damascus, in addition to the Jordan National Gallery in Amman, the Sharjah Museum of Art and the Arab World Institute in Paris. Many of his bronze and wood sculptures can also be found in public spaces, such as “The Gate of Syria,” which is on display in the Mediterranean Olympiad in Pari, Italy, and “The Tower of Memory,” which stands in the Damascus International Fairground. Indispensible to the Syrian art scene for years, Ali is also the director of the renowned Damascus art center The Mustafa Ali Art Foundation, which presents exhibitions, workshops, lectures and cultural events. A highly acclaimed artist but also a man who loves to play within his genre. 22
Hambaba Warrior, 21 (W) x 23 ( H)
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Peter Collis
Porcelain and Bone China
Collapsed form 1
New Zealander Peter Collis has worked with clay nearly all of his life. The main focus to his work has been the handling of shape and surface. He creates pure form vessels, which he then treats in a wide range of methods. Crackle glazes, textured engobes, rich colour, finish the surface to complement the form. The predictability and ubiquity of his forms and surfaces perhaps led to the grant application to develop bone china,. It’s a challenging medium. Bone china is usually cast and his moulds were of a scale beyond what is typically seen for this body formulation. Collis is a highly skilled thrower and a leader in technical aspects – he makes his own luster glazes, formulates clay bodies for particular purposes and adjusts a glaze to give him precisely what he requires in an eyelash drop. He is acknowledged as bone china’s master practicioner. Peter Collis is a superb maker of the formalist pot, few can match his abilities and sheer application of years of hardwon knowledge. Peter exhibits internationally and is represented in collections around the world. Crackle Glaze Vessels
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Peter Wills Porcelain
Inspiration for Peter comes from simple things; pots from ancient China to modern Europe; the looseness, freedom and life of Bizen wares, the wonderful colours, textures and forms of Lucie Rie’s work, the inverted profile of a hat, a Blackbird singing outside his bedroom window. Peter works in a small studio using an English Porcelain blend from Valentine Clays. All pots are thrown on a home built kick/electric wheel then raw glazed and fired once to Orton cone 9 (1280C). He aims for balanced form, attention to detail and life. “I would love the ability to produce pots of a calibre that would make people catch their breath; but for now, if I can occasionally stir the heart I'll be content”
Peter Wills The Majlis Gallery has worked with Peter for many years, the synergy and simplicity of his ceramic vessels have become an integral part of our collection.
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Tone Von Krogh Thrown Ceramics
“Whilst studying for my degree in Norway my main Ceramics tutor told us not to attempt using the potter’s wheel during our studies as he insisted the course did not allow us enough hours practice to master the craft. Being a typical student, I felt extremely provoked by this statement. Determined to prove him wrong – I spent an entire exchange period at Manchester Metropolitan University purely concentrating on learning the skill.I soon fell in love with this instant and tactile way of making and have not moved away from the technique since.Memories from Norway are an important source of inspiration in my work. The soft curves and sweeping shapes with hints of bulges or indentations are reflecting the shapes of a snow covered landscape – where the original shape of the object covered is almost unrecognisable. Sharp edges get softened and the bright colours whitened.”
Tone Von Krogh The Majlis Gallery are indebted to Tone’s ceramics master as her witty, functional ceramics have become a staple part of the Majlis collection.
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The Majlis Gallery, Al Musalla Roundabout, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. + 971 353 6233 www.themajlisgallery.com majlisgallery@gmail.com