This exhibition at the Frank Lloyd Gallery unites three aspects of Peter Voulkos' oeuvre: sculpture, pottery, and prints. Despite their diversity of appearance, these works illustrate the artist's innovative handling of clay, and the translation of his aesthetic to works on paper.
The Peter Voulkos works on view in this exhibition span the period of time from 1954 to 2000. Included are early examples of pottery, with pieces that are slashed and gouged, as well as forms that are often associated with the artist, such as the "plate" form. Aggressively manipulated and incised, the ceramic surfaces of his works serve as a "meeting ground for painting and sculpture," as noted in the New York Times. He dealt with the medium in a manner described by his colleague Ken Price as "direct frontal assault." The prints, on view alongside his ceramic artworks, demonstrate the same incised line, and powerful imagery.
The influence of Peter Voulkos on the field of ceramic art and sculpture is hard to overstate—Roberta Smith described the magnitude of his impact when she wrote "few artists have changed a medium as markedly or as single-handedly as Mr. Voulkos." Voulkos is often credited with contributing to the demolition of the traditional hierarchies between fine arts and craft. His work as an innovator, teacher, and colleague inspired generations of ceramists to push boundaries and find liberation in their medium.
Please click here to view the digital catalogue for the exhibition on an iPad: