Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire is a major survey exhibition of contemporary UK enamelling. Central to the exhibition’s concept is the challenge for each exhibitor to show pieces that take their previous work into new territories with the aim of raising the appreciation of enamelling through showing the most innovative work from the UK. Playing with Fire is a fantastic opportunity to show off the wealth of existing enamelling talent in the UK and to stimulate new approaches to the medium from professionals and new makers alike.

Artists:
Kathryn Adamson / Stephen Bottomley / Helen Carnac / Tamar De Vries Winter / Beate Gegenwart / Grace Girvan / Rachel Gogerly / John Grayson / Joan MacKarell / Jilly Morris / Zsuzsi Morrison / Liana Pattihis / Kimberley Scott / Ed Silverton / Jessica Turrell

The exhibitors have been selected from an open competition and Jury.
The selection jury consisted of Simon Fraser, Dorothy Hogg MBE, Evangeline Long and Elizabeth Turrell.

The resulting exhibition is a mixture of established and emerging makers, working in traditional and contemporary applications, at the cutting edge of their fields. All work submitted was judged on its merits, from those pieces that are classically enamelled through to those whose strength lie in concept, originality, and investigations into new ways of enamelling.

Six pieces of contemporary enamel work exhibited in this group exhibition.


“New technologies, including digital transfer printing, laser cutting, computer generated design, photo-etching and electro-forming, add to the versatility of the material which enables new approaches and possibilities for contemporary makers.
This is beautifully shown by Stephen Bottomley’s Matrici pendant, a piece which shows ‘the innovative potential for synthesising digital design into craft-based practice.’2 Or, as Silvio Fuso says in the same publication, Stephen’s work ‘links artistic know-how and technology.’ Stephen uses digital scanning, reverse engineering, rapid prototyping, photoetching, laser cutting, and laser engraving. He undoes the total precision of digital
technology with his use of craft skills and, in these pieces, clearly relates his jewellery to the rich tradition of ornamentation.

Shire Hall Gallery, Staffordshire / Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe / Rhyl Arts Centre, Wales / Bilston Craft Gallery, West Midlands / Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, Gloucestershire

Work discussed at UWE 3D technologies Discussion day 25.06.12, Bristol