Bega Valley Regional Gallery will launch an exhibition of new work by Sydney-based emerging ceramic artist, Luke Ryan O’Connor at its pop-up exhibition space, BVRG: PORT, at the Eden Welcome Centre on 18 December.
The exhibition – Melt, Drip, Lustre – presents playful sculptural objects made using traditional techniques of wheel throwing, slip casting and hand coiling, embellished with eye catching glazes mimicking semi-precious gems.
“O’Connor is an artist-in-residence at Kil.n.it Experimental Ceramic Studios, a not-for-profit ceramics studio and workshop space that encourages an explorative, avant-garde approach to ceramics,” Gallery Director, Iain Dawson said.
“Conceptually, his practice plays to notions of queer adversity, to celebrating scars and dissociating enhancement from conventional ideals of perfection.
“O’Connor’s work has been exhibited across Australia as well as recent international shows in New Zealand and Germany.”
Artist Luke Ryan O’Connor explained the inspiration behind his exhibition.
“Something that I’ve wanted to explore within my practice, presenting something that is misshapen and maybe not as traditionally functional but that is still beautiful, to me is representative of the queer experience,” Mr O’Connor said.
“These pieces are these things that sit very much outside what ceramics should be, or what people’s ideas of what ceramics should be. And that is what it’s like growing up queer sometimes. Art was always my refuge, growing up in such a rural area. It was my ticket to living an interesting life.”
Melt, Drip, Lustre opens at BVRG: PORT on 18 December and continues to February 2022.
BVRG: PORT at the Eden Welcome Centre (Weecoon Street) is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 10am to 2pm.
