Sandy Brown exhibition at Cheltenham Art Gallery

Until 31 May – Don’t just expect to see pots at Ritual: The Still Point and the Dance, a brand new ceramics exhibition from artist Sandy Brown, being held at Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum this May.

According to organisers, vivid and vivacious ceramics, teeming with energy and originality will be on show at Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum in May, in a new touring exhibition entitled ‘Ritual: The Still Point and the Dance’ by acclaimed ceramicist Sandy Brown.

‘Ceramics in the UK means pots, and almost only pots. There is nothing wrong with pots. I make them and I love making them. But contemporary ceramic installation is a genre of its own, quite unlike any other form of sculpture, distinct, intuitive, organic,’ artist Sandy Brown said.

The exhibition being held until 31 May 2008 is a major two-part ceramic installation, combining the art of the Japanese tea ceremony with the exuberance of dance. These two inspirations have been fused to present a metaphor for the artistic process: the contemplative stage of creation and the spontaneity of making.

Sandy’s take on the ancient art of the tea ceremony is a deliberate hybrid of east and west traditions, an alternative and contemporary approach. Sandy’s interest in tea ceremonies has been shaped by her experience in Japan, where she trained as a potter in the 1970s. Rituals, like the tea ceremony are held in high importance in Japan, and quality ceramics underpin such rites.

Contrasting with the elegance of the tea ceremony are the tall and bulbous forms of the ‘dance’. Curling stacks of round large-scale ceramic shapes, suggestive of beads, seeds and fantastical confectionery. Colour is an integral part of Sandy Brown’s work, with buttery yellow, pale salmon pink, tangerine, sage green and ultramarine spotted and streaked on a white background.

Organisers of the innovative exhibition proclaim that Ritual: The Still Point and The Dance establishes new boundaries for the ceramic artist, offering visitors a totally fresh experience of ceramic art.

Plus on Thursday 15 May 2008, art lovers will get the chance to hear from ceramicist Sandy Brown herself, at a lunchtime talk being held from 1pm until 1.50pm at Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum. Tickets for this one-off event cost £3.50, available to buy on the day.

Event: Ritual: The Still Point and the Dance art exhibition by Sandy Brown
Venue: Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum
Dates: Until 31 May 2008, except Monday 5 May when the venue is closed for the bank holiday.
Times: Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am until 5.20pm.
Tickets: Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

SoGlos.com
12 May 2008