Erin Furimsky
The voluptuousness of Erin Furimsky’s work is readily apparent. There is a familiarity of both form and surface that is at first, perhaps easily recognizable. But upon further investigation, what we see is only an abstraction.
The ceramic forms I build are meticulously constructed by hand. Taking advantage of the clay's plasticity, I push and swell the walls to create volume that imparts sensuality and intrigue to the forms. Like brocade stretched to cover an overstuffed chair, my pieces reveal a sense of expansion as if one form is gently surrounding another. Each piece beckons to be held in the hands, and perhaps brought close to the face, to listen and examine with a greater intensity.”
On the surface, a complex layering of pattern and color evolves as the clay is worked at each stage. Precise patterns carved deeply into the clay’s surface merge with the form, inviting the decoration to become structure. Areas are then covered with carefully chosen glazes that may run, both enhancing and obscuring the carving. One might recognize floral motifs, snowflakes, microbes or calligraphy within the ambiguous multilayered surfaces.”
There is a push and pull in my work. I extract and reconstruct elements of functional domestic forms, at one time referencing, at another abstracting, their familiar roles within our culture. My investigation encompasses not only the aesthetic qualities of familiar objects, but also their symbolic functions within our lives. I investigate where these two realms overlap and what happens when the decorative aspect becomes the function. One person may perceive the delicate edge of a lace curtain as trivial and unnecessary, while another may experience it as an intimate reminder that they live in a refined and loving home.”
ERIN FURIMSKY FEBRUARY 2010