Peter Voulkos: Ceramics and Prints
This on-line only exhibition at the Frank Lloyd Gallery unites two aspects of Peter Voulkos' work: ceramics and prints. Despite their diversity in medium, these works illustrate the artist's innovative handling of clay, and the translation of his aesthetic to works on paper. The power of his imagery is present in both.
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 by Roberta Smith in the New York Times. He dealt with the ceramic 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 aggressively incised line, and the same powerful imagery. For example, the artist's well-known large scale sculptural form of the "stack" is shown in the monotypes. The touch of the hand is always present, whether on the surface of the clay, or the inking of the etching plate.
The influence of Peter Voulkos on the field of ceramic art and sculpture is hard to overstate. Ms. 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." He is often credited with abolishing the traditional hierarchies between the fine art and craft, and the elevation of ceramics out of the decorative arts. His work as an innovator, teacher, and colleague inspired generations of ceramists to push boundaries and find a voice in their medium.
This online exhibit opens January 5 and continues through February 28, 2023. For more information please visit our website: www.franklloyd.com, or contact us by email, info@franklloyd.com.