Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
The Craft Centre & Design Gallery, City Art Gallery, Leeds 3 November – 12 January
Reviewed by: Karen Watson
If you are a dog lover, interested in ceramics and have some money to spare this show is definitely for you.
The seven makers included in the exhibition all use dogs as a focus for their work, skilfully manipulating a variety of ceramic techniques to capture their own particular version of canine form.
But how should we interpret these endearingly wolfish figures? Referring to the works as sculptural, the title of the exhibition encourages us to view them as art rather than ornament – but so close to the buying season, is it rather more of a commercial venture? Should that make a difference? The show lacks a clear message of intention that could give us clues to answer such questions.
The pieces themselves are engaging but familiar in their subject matter and approach. Anna Noel, inspired by the mystery and dream-like quality of myths and legends, exhibits several bulldogs about ten inches high with small spiky collars. These dogs are well-fed pets, seeming harmless, impartial almost, to being viewed.
Inspired by the dog she grew up with, Virginia Dowe presents us with happy, sleepy mongrels with large paws and ears. Catrin Howell shows several pieces depicting skinny hound dogs drawn from Welsh fables and children's stories. In one a dog has grown a pair of wings, another depicts several hounds acrobatically balanced on top of each other. The detail of the tiny pointed teeth and claws in Howell's series is mesmerising.
My favourite from the show is the work of Brendan Hesmondhalgh – representations of wrinkly, twitchy bloodhounds that come across with an honesty and real feeling for these animals that makes me think someone is sure to take one of these dogs home and love it.
Writer detail:
KAREN WATSON
is an artist based in Leeds.
Venue detail:
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