28 February to 21 March 2009
Ray Mallaney is a ceramic sculptor, making hand-built decorative vessels for the domestic environment. His work is in corporate and private collections throughout the United Kingdom, continental Europe and the United States.
Wednesday 4 March 2009 at 1pm
Free Lunchtime Talk with Ray Mallaney talking about this work
Ray says about his work:
"It is believed that the set of cards known as the Tarot has existed since the Middle Ages. Initially linked to the playing cards as they developed from the Persian originals, they evolved separately into pictorial symbols that referenced arcane esoteric knowledge; their images are heavy with meaning, and for some with indications of the future.
I became interested in how this dense Tarot language could be transposed into the language of my own area; that of ceramics, which like many areas has its own language/vocabulary/syntax: we talk of necks, bellies, spouts, ‘generous curves’ we describe things as teapots, coffee pots, urns, mugs etc. Forms used independently for some uses are joined together to makes composites with new uses.
The task I undertook lasted longer than I had supposed, nearly 7 years in fact and comprised far more vessels than the few I had originally intended, I found that in the search for forms analogous with the meanings of the various cards I was using all my own vocabulary of ceramic form. For me it seemed to be a summing up of 15 years experimentation and work. I find it no coincidence that my ceramics following this series has taking a very different path.
All of the work that will be shown is hand built using the simple techniques of coiling and slabbing, they are fired to a variety of temperatures, and use coloured slips, underglazes, glazes, enamels and lustres in their decoration.
Most of the work will be for sale. "
Exhibitions
Mixed Shows:
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2004 Telos, Windsor, UK
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2002 The Beatrice Royal Gallery, Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK
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2002 Telos, Windsor, UK
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2001 The Start Gallery, Brighton, UK
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2001 Tempest-Radford Art Consultants - Exhibition of Featured Artists
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1999 South West London Open, Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham, Middlesex, UK
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1997 The Lamont Gallery, London, UK
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1991 The Lamont Gallery, London, UK
One-Man Shows:
- 1997 Dickson House Studios, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, UK
- 1994 Knights Park Gallery, Kingston University, Kingston, Surrey, UK
- 1992 Dickson House Studios, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, UK
- 1990 The Richmond Riverside Room Gallery, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, UK
Commissions
Education
Ray has an MA in the History of Design and a BA in 3D Design (Ceramics), both from Middlesex University. His Foundation year was at Wimbledon School of Art.
Statement
"My work is hand-built, usually coiled and is fired to a range of earthenware temperatures. I use a variety of decorating media, slips, underglazes, enamels and lustres. As a 'maker', function, however vestigial, remains important to me, as it gives parameters to fight against, as well as the final setting, which crucially, will be domestic. Over the years, the sources for my work have changed, sometimes quite radically: shoes in the V&A Museum; Moorish architecture; angels and wings. My forms change through using a steady set of basic components which recombine and evolve or resurface after years of absence, depending on the requirements of the piece. My latest completed set of work reflects research into The Tarot and shows my attitude to form and decoration, which sometimes seem to fight for dominance in my work. The next step with these pieces is to exhibit them and I am currently looking for an interested gallery."
Guildford House Gallery
155 High Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 3AJ
Tel: 01483 444742
Fax: 01483 458563
Email: guildfordhouse@guildford.gov.uk
Open Tuesday to Saturday. 10am to 4.45pm. Admission Free