JOHN CURTIN GALLERY
The objects in Dirt Feeling urge us to negotiate the world through a felt reality. Where clay speaks through play and touch – a nostalgic reminder of when dirt and mud were acceptable amusements – ceramic objects of art and design intrigue through decoration, function, form, surface and scale. Both enliven pleasure, they speak to intimacy (in the making and the using) and draw us back to our bodies through the senses. This exhibition, drawn primarily from the Curtin University Art Collection, showcases works that span decades, regions and practices. Early international influences are evident alongside the contributions of pioneering Western Australian women, who helped shape the industry through experimentation and collaboration. A renewed focus on First Nations artists addresses historic gaps, with each artist asserting cultural memory and connection to Country through clay. Here, the power of intergenerational knowledge, storytelling, and community is clearly manifest. Interconnections permeate this exhibition. Numerous artists represented in Dirt Feeling have had far reaching impact on their peers, communities and succeeding generations. From beginning to end, ceramic processes require an open responsiveness and ability to cope with or even embrace failure, which in turn breeds humility and an enthusiasm for constant learning. This may help elucidate why amongst practitioners, knowledge is not hoarded but shared eagerly through the exchange of skills and ideas. This field is sustained by a generosity of spirit, which translates into works that collectively offer a cacophonous gift to the senses. Lia McKnight Curator, John Curtin Gallery