Brie Ruais in Formed and Fired: Contemporary American Ceramics

Anderson Collection at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California

March 13, 2020 - May 2, 2021

 

Ceramics have played a fundamental role in the lives of many for centuries, as objects rooted in ritual, utility, and decoration. The medium of clay and the variety of finishing processes allows for infinite, and at times, unexpected expressive forms. This exhibition presents the work of four groundbreaking contemporary artists whose practices provide insight into the past and ideas for the future. Kathy Butterly, Kahlil Robert Irving, Simone Leigh, and Brie Ruais are pushing the boundaries of ceramics and exploring questions of value, identity, materiality, and the body. While distinctly different, they share a reverence for the medium and its rich, and sometimes complicated history. Together, they provide extraordinary insights into ceramic’s expressive qualities and capacity for individual expression.

 

The exhibition breaks the mold, highlighting artists who are reshaping ceramics in concept and craftsmanship; featuring 11 works by Kathy Butterly, Kahlil Robert Irving, Simone Leigh, and Brie Ruais.

March 13, 2020