Transference explores how the combination of ceramics and transfer print technology enables the immediacy ofprintmaking to be joined with the enduring nature of fired clay. The title of this project refers to the transferring of social and political concepts between cultures and across time periods. Soon after its development in mid-18thCentury England, transfer printing became the pop art of its time, commemorating everything from the launch of ships to historic sites and landscapes. Artists used the print technique to decorate plates, bowls, teapots, and vases in order to spread popular imagery and patterns around the globe. By the time the process hit the U.S., the prints expanded to include cultural and political events and themes, such as vistas of the American landscape, the Liberty Bell, and the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. For ceramic artists in the US and UK, transfer ware has become a ubiquitous aspect of ourcollective material heritage.
Today, contemporary artists are mining this historic process and mixing new digital techniques to create work that responds to the immediacy of our modern world, whether politically, socially, or culturally. The interdisciplinary nature of much contemporary art being made today is reflected in the process. Artists use everything from traditional intaglio printing methods to modern technology to make prints that are immediate, personal, digitized, and/or imbued with historic references. The combination of historic process with contemporary ideas and design continues to result in dynamic, thoughtful works of art that resonate through the fields of art, design, history, and technology.
Current transfer print artists experiment with alchemy and juxtaposition, pushing the boundaries of the process to make innovative contemporary art. Transference will showcase a range of practices from traditional to the most advanced type of 3D printing available today, and everything in between. Participating artists have been selected to include a wide range of techniques and concepts explored in the work. Andrew Raftery’s work is made using precise traditional methods, while while Paul Scott commemorates the Fukushima disaster.
Transference: Transfer Printing on Contemporary Ceramic Art will be on view at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia from October 7 to November 27, 2016. Philadelphia has a dynamic and active contemporary art scene that isenriched by the city’s long history of art and craftsmanship. Partnerships will include The Print Center and The Philadelphia Museum of Art, where a concurrent display of historic transferware will be on view. We will also partner with CraftNOW, a new citywide programming and marketing collaboration among Philadelphia craft organizations including the Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia Art Alliance, Tyler School of Art, and the University of the Arts. These connections will create visibility for this project within the community.
Participating Artists: Paul Scott, Charlotte Hodes, Andrew Raftery, Jessica Brandl, Adam Chau, Nicholas Lenker, Hope Rovelto, James Aarons, Dominique Ellis, Roberta Griffiths, Darien Johnson, Mimi Logothetis, Paul McMullen, Paul Mathieu, Peter Olson, Stephanie Osser, Adam Paulek, Jessica Putnam Phillips, Carrie Reichardt, Justin Rothshank, Lynn Richardson, Irit Rosenberg, Nancy Selvin, Hilary Wang, Dustin Yager, and Valerie Zimany.
Transference Guest Artist-in-Residence:
During the run of the show, The Clay Studio will host Charlotte Hodes as our Guest Artist-in-Residence (October-November 2016). Hodes’ work crosses artistic mediums; she uses ceramics, glass, print, and collage while exploring the boundaries between decorative, functional, and conceptual practice. During an artist placement at the renowned UK Spode ceramic factory, Hodes used their historical collections of print transfers to produce her own unique pieces, including two dinner services, one of which was included in the 2003 Design Biennial at the Design Museum London. Philadelphia’s wealth of historical material can serve as continued inspiration to Hodes’ work, just as her work can serve as inspiration to our community of artists.
Related Symposium – Technicalities: Meaning in Method
October 28-30, 2016 Click HERE for more information.
The keynote talk will be "Production Values: The Relevance of Technique in Contemporary Art and Design" by Glenn Adamson.
