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Art - Carolyn Genders
Sculpture is considered in art circles to be Britain’s
strongest medium in the visual arts. From Lewes’ own
Rodin to Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Caro, Henry Moore to Anthony
Gormley, Rachel Whiteread and Damien Hirst, our 3-D artists
have high international reputations. Sculpture is also very
snobby. Bronze, marble, limestone, wood, resin and even formaldehyde
are held to be the materials of sculpture. Clay, on the other
hand, is not considered legitimate. Artists who make things
out of clay are deemed potters or craftsman, no matter what
the objects are. Carolyn Genders' exhibition The Shape of
Things is a perfect illustration of the ridiculousness of
this visual art bigotry. Genders' works, although made of
clay, are sculptures not pots.
Her artworks fill both galleries at HQ and the newly completed
outdoor spaces. They are inspired by the textures of nature
varying from pebbles on the beach, the ripples that sea water
make on the sand, to fish and the earthy colours of gourds
and squashes. As a result her organic-shaped works have a
calm, balanced appeal rather like seashells. The breakable
quality of clay adds to their value. Like gourds they are
solid but could at any moment be shattered into a thousand
tiny pieces. You want to ping them with your finger as the
shapes suggest that they would make a beautiful sound but
daren't on account of their fragility. The benefit of art
snobbery is that clay sculptures cost less: Genders' works
start at only £120 and they would certainly make an
impact in your home. JW
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