The “Community” exhibit at Memorial Union’s new Class of 1925 Gallery celebrates Gerald Martell’s ceramic artworks. It is not a big collection, but it is still striking in terms of its aesthetic quality. The ceramic artwork explores the idea of community as more than just the relationship between humans, but also a connection to the natural world.
According to Martell, to make ceramic works is to share an idea, an aesthetic or simply a meal. The exhibition is titled “Community” because when Martell works closely with people toward the same goal, he gains a sense of identity and connection to place. During the exhibit, Martell utilizes different techniques to create a refined but sturdy ceramic world.
“Fired clay’s durability has led to its discovery all over the world dating back to antiquity,” Martell said. “It can be used as a record of civilization to gain insight into ancient communities.”
To explore the theme of antiquity, Martell created a set of pitchers, named “Crater Group.” This set details nuances of Earth’s long-forgotten history.
The coral-like exterior exemplifies the ambience of oceans and ships. The greenish-grayish colors are reminiscent of rusty bronze covered with oxide; the clunky shape has an archaic design and technique. The texture is like a very old and ancient rock that has been through all the periods of time. This set of artwork exudes the mysteries of the past and an impression of the vicissitudes of life.
A lot of natural elements can be seen in Martell’s ceramics. The work “Scale Bowls,” a group of stoneware bowls, explores tree and gold metal elements. The exterior of the bowls imitates the bark of oak trees. The glaze is carefully and elegantly made into furrows and cracks like bark that cover the smooth pottery bowl base.
The gold color of the glaze is dark and faded and it seems it was weathered and eroded. The pattern and the color of the glaze blend so well that it provides an ideal portrait of the essence of tree bark. To serve the theme of trees, the interior is made into a delicate and clear leaf-vein-like pattern. The lines of the vein are so exquisite that it looks very fragile and easy to break. The contrasting way the piece portrays bark and leaves gives a fresh visual impact and a new way to understand nature.
The collection within the greater exhibit titled “Community” contains the most compelling pieces. Unlike other ceramic artworks whose shapes are solid and hard, this work provides an incredible feeling of softness and fluidity. The work is made up of multiple small, distorted and incomplete ceramic works attached to a big ceramic base. The line of the whole work is flowing and rippling. The distorted small pottery is representative of the firing process, the melting and fusing of the shaped clay. This further reinforces the idea of union through community.
