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BY ELENA SMITH

In print | Published September 4, 2008 — Updated September 20, 2008 13:10

“Just Desserts”, “Jen Allen: New Works” and “Colleen Toledano: subFOUNDATION” at the Clay Studio

Before last week, the ceramic arts were of no particular interest to me. Rococo porcelain vases in museum collections become quickly repetitive and the cups and bowls my high school peers molded were fashioned according to formula. I thought clay was a dull medium, relegated forever to fulfill a utilitarian purpose.

A visit to the Clay Studio, however, quickly changed my perspective on ceramics. Shiny and vibrant glazes, intricate carvings, fanciful decorations and pristine forms dazzled my eye, while statements written by the Clay Studio’s resident artists enhanced my superficial appreciation. I discovered that one contingent of clay artists is strictly dedicated to the medium’s heritage, further exploring and expanding upon its functional applications. Another group seeks to guide the medium away from dishware toward wider expressive freedom.

“Just Desserts,” a selection of cake plates and ice cream bowls by eight artists, presents utilitarian pieces that have sweet implications. The artists evaluated the ritual of dessert-eating, considering presentation and functional necessities.

Artist Hiroe Hanazono writes in her statement: “My desire as an artist is to create pots that serve not only as a vehicle for the fine taste of food but also to transcend visual pleasure and to stimulate appetite.” Her minimalist toppings dish and ice cream bowls are decorated with light pastel colors and delicate patterns. These porcelain pieces limit the extent of visual competition with dessert, allowing rainbow sprinkles, red cherries and chocolate ice cream to take center stage.

Kristin Pavelka, on the other hand, arouses desire for sweets through a mirroring device. Thickly applied, the creamy glaze of her “Cake Plate” invokes a craving for decadently-applied, velvety vanilla frosting. My sweet tooth sprang into action while I looked at the plate, even though an actual cake was not sitting atop the throne.

“Jen Allen: New Works” is a separate, small exhibition, connected to the desserts exhibitions by its concentration on functional works. Inspired by sewing and the comforts of home, Allen translates the characteristics of textiles to her porcelain works. She darts the edges of her cups, customizing the mold like a tailor. She adorns the surfaces with graphic patterns derived from post-WWII fabrics and Arts and Crafts era designs. The visual association between fabrics and porcelain gives a softer glow to the hard material.

“Colleen Toledano: subFOUNDATION” stands dramatically apart from the other two shows. Her works are non-functional, lacking purpose on a dining room table. Toledano both recognizes and departs from the ceramic arts’ utilitarian focus. Intrigued by the popularity of cosmetic surgery, Toledano fashions her own “Do-It-Yourself” tools for self-improvement. She combines self-made porcelain pieces and shaped practical devices like clamps, with purchased industrial tools in her mixed-media sculptures.

Though the individual parts are functional, the sculptures as a whole do not provide a real-world purpose. For example, “Behind Wood — Ray II” augments breasts ­­ insulation material through a system of pipes, pumps and sprinkler handles.

I am deeply intrigued by this contradiction. Toledano pays homage to function on a micro scale and then purposely fails to deliver a tool on a macro level. The inefficacy of Toledano’s sculptures speaks to a new direction in ceramics, one that emphasizes expression and welcomes exploration of unconventional form.

I also enjoyed the process of translation in subFOUNDATION. Toledano discusses several different types of cosmetic surgery in the show, but she codes the procedures in her distinct vocabulary. “Behind Wood — Ray II” is easiest to identify as an interpretation of breast augmentation surgery through the two prominent bulbs that protrude into the viewer’s space. Other pieces are more elusive. I read “Workspace I” as a representation of lap belt surgery. A porcelain clamp squeezes a leather bag, tightening it at the middle.

Ultimately, identifying the procedure is beside the point. The constricting device speaks to society’s desire to find tools to lose weight, to become smaller. Toledano’s art cannot help us lose the pounds, but it encourages critical evaluation of our desire to manipulate our bodies.
Through Sept. 21. 139 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Feet at the Painted Bride Art Center

Willi Dorner, a Vienna-based choreographer, partnered with Lisa Rastl, a photographer, to capture dancers’ most important tool — the foot. Through the ongoing project, Rastl has photographed 23 contemporary choreographers, from Yvonne Rainer to Carlos Orta. Dorner and Rastl bare their discoveries in “Feet,” a traveling exhibition making its first stop in North America.

Being limited to a very narrow subject matter, “Feet” could have become repetitive quite easily. However, the team expertly avoided this potential result. Rastl worked with each choreographer individually, using varied settings and scales. As a designer, Dorner broke up the arrangement of photographs on the wall, preventing the gallery from becoming a cathedral to feet.

When the project began in 1994, Rastl took photographs in a neutral studio space. Many of these early black-and-white photographs remain in the show. Naked feet contrast beautifully against rich black backdrops. However, Rastl shifted toward more expressive settings a year later. By capturing the choreographers in their own environments, she provides fuller portraits of their characters.

Dorner split the exhibition between two floors, each having a very different aesthetic. On the first floor, images of feet hang above and below the viewer or directly at eye level. A limited number of images are framed. Scale varies dramatically, from very small 5 × 7 photos to others approximately 20 inches high. Both color and black-and-white photography is included. The conscious avoidance of uniformity among the pictures’ presentation breaks up the show, spurring interest and further exploration.

I particularly enjoyed the second level. Here, large cardboard boxes sit on the floor. Inside each box is a blown-up black-and-white image of dancers’ feet. By bringing the art off the walls, feet are returned to their natural location, the floor. However, the soles face upward, revealing the wear and tear of age and use. The feet demonstrate dancers’ extraordinary reliance upon their feet.

Through October 18. 230 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Elena is a senior. You can reach her at esmith3@swarthmore.edu.

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