Recent Sculpture

The Frank Lloyd Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of ceramic sculpture by John Mason. Continuing his investigation of spatial concepts in abstract sculpture, Mason exhibits large and medium scaled works. The newest works are in two groups. One group includes a towering, twisting vertical sculpture composed of modular forms. Also exhibited are a smaller series of rotating orbs that are composed of planes. On the surfaces of each series of sculpture are "tracer lines," which Mason uses to draw attention to the interaction of the planes and surfaces.

Mason's work over the past six decades presents one of the most compelling arguments for abstract sculpture. His line of thought and consistency of execution mark the work as an elegant proof, similar to a mathematical inquiry. Critics from John Coplans to David Pagel have written about his work. In an article published by Art News, Suzanne Muchnic wrote:

"A major figure in ceramic sculpture, Mason emerged in the mid-1950s as one of the leaders of a revolution that transformed clay from a craft to a fine art medium… In his latest work, Mason has proved himself a master builder and sculptor who knows how to get the most out of a relatively simple three dimensional form."

John Mason is one of the most important artists working in Los Angeles today. Since the late 1950s, when he exhibited at the legendary Ferus Gallery, Mason has had one-man shows at the Pasadena Museum of Art (1960 and 1974), the Los Angeles County Museum (1966), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (1978), and the Hudson River Museum (1978), among others.