Donna Green Vessels
© Utopia Art Sydney 2 - 30 April 2022
VESSELS The slip of clay through her fingers on the wheel has always been an essential experience for Donna Green. She would often throw a series of small bowls to start her day in the studio. Then as each bowl was finished she would grasp it, deforming the shape, twisting and pushing in her fingers and thumbs forming unique pieces that tell of their creation. Recently, instead of bowls, bulging beehive forms began to emerge, and instead of working into them she began piling them up, using them as the building blocks for bigger works. Yes they definitely looked like breasts, but Green insists that she sees more. As the elements cling together, press, fold and crease, the new sculptural forms do suggest many more options.
These new works are gathered together for the first time in this show, strong Vessels, where functional references cannot be found. Although individual elements may themselves be vessels of various kinds, the sculptures now stand confidently as vessels in themselves, they have a life of their own. Also showing for the first time are Donna Green’s new drawings. They have recently jumped in scale and taken on their own identity. These brush and oil stick drawings and collages have an affinity with her new sculptures, they reveal a confidence, the same physicality in their execution, and announce a strong new direction. Make no mistake these are sexy works by an artist unafraid to push the limits.
cat. 1, Bacchanalia, 2022, stoneware, 43 x 53 x 56 cm
cat. 2, Studies for Forms 71, 2022, acrylic on paper, 9 panels each 76 x 56 cm
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cat. 3, Constellation 1, 2021, stoneware, 10 x 14 x 13 cm cat. 4, Constellation 2, 2022, stoneware, 12 x 16 x 16 cm cat. 5, Constellation 3, 2022, stoneware, 15 x 20 x 26 cm cat. 6, Constellation 4, 2022, stoneware, 17 x 22 x 22 cm cat. 7, Constellation 5, 2021, stoneware, 10 x 15 x 13 cm cat. 8, Constellation 6, 2022, stoneware, 11 x 18 x 16 cm cat. 9, Constellation 7, 2021, stoneware, 15 x 30 x 22 cm cat. 10, Constellation 8, 2022, stoneware, 13 x 27 x 16 cm cat. 11, Constellation 9, 2021, stoneware, 16 x 20 x 19 cm cat. 12, Constellation 10, 2022, stoneware, 14 x 25 x 21 cm cat. 13, Constellation 11, 2022, stoneware, 10 x 15 x 13 cm cat. 14, Constellation 12, 2022, stoneware, 10 x 15 x 18 cm cat. 15, Constellation 13, 2021, stoneware, 12 x 15 x 13 cm cat. 16, Constellation 14, 2022, stoneware, 14 x 17 x 16 cm
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cat. 17, Studies for Forms 72, 2022, acrylic and oil stick on paper, 76 x 56 cm cat. 18, Studies for Forms 76, 2022, acrylic and oil stick on paper, 76 x 56 cm cat. 19, Studies for Forms 74, 2022, acrylic and oil stick on paper, 76 x 56 cm
cat. 20, Temptation, 2021, nails and stoneware, 18 x 40 x 34 cm
cat. 21, Studies for Forms 68, 2022, collage on paper, 76 x 56 cm cat. 22, Studies for Forms 61, 2022, collage on paper, 76 x 56 cm cat. 23, Studies for Forms 64, 2022, collage on paper, 76 x 56 cm
cat. 24, Studies for Forms 69, 2022, collage on paper, 76 x 56 cm
cat. 25, Studies for Forms 65, 2022, collage on paper, 76 x 56 cm
cat. 26, Squeeze, 2021, stoneware, 18 x 34 x 27 cm
cat. 27, Psychic, 2021, stoneware, 25 x 29 x 26 cm
cat. 28, Look at Me, 2021, stoneware, 22 x 22 x 20 cm
cat. 29, Hephaestion, 2022, stoneware, 30 x 34 x 32 cm
cat. 30, Escapade, 2021, stoneware, 29 x 28 x 23 cm
cat. 31, Darth Vader, 2021, stoneware, 39 x 35 x 27 cm
cat. 32, Lush, 2022, stoneware, 31 x 36 x 28 cm
cat. 33 Plum, 2022, stoneware, 22 x 30 x 23 cm
cat. 34, Titan, 2021, stoneware, 35 x 20 x 29 cm
cat. 35, Touch, 2021, stoneware, 29 x 24 x 22 cm
cat. 36, Mother, 2021, stoneware, 33 x 20 x 27 cm
cat. 37, Irregular, 2021, stoneware, 27 x 30 x 30 cm
cat. 38, Blush, 2022, stoneware, 27 x 31 x 31 cm
cat. 39, Hear Me, 2021, stoneware, 27 x 23 x 20 cm
cat. 40, Mercurial, 2022, stoneware, 26 x 28 x 25 cm
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