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Rebecca Appleby - Inner Order @ Contemporary Ceramics Centre

Yesterday in the pouring rain I ventured to London to see Rebecca Appleby's show 'Inner Order'' @ Contemporary Ceramics Centre in London. The show is on until the 30th of March and showcases the diverse, playful practice of the Yorkshire based ceramicist.

Aspects of the artists work that caught my attention straight away were he ability to translate mark-making and painterly surfaces onto 3D forms. I have so much respect and intrigue for makers and artists who use their practice to fully push their creative language and code. Organic forms, both 3D and 2D showcase Rebecca's vision to convey the way crystals develop in nature through abstraction of form, shape and line.


 Details of one of the curved sculptures combining drawing and ceramics 


Details of some of the large scale drawings by the artist depicting layers, fragmentation of form and an organic chaos of mark making.


Her work has almost archival qualities because of how its been displayed, of course due to the fragile nature of the work but within the show work was also shown in its raw form, without glass for the viewer to engage with. I loved this juxtaposition and tension between the different fragments of the show. 


Large scale vessels consume the space to create a coherent visual tone for the exhibition, where the subtleties of mark are a common motif. I love the curves of this piece but also the scale at which it has been created.  Rebecca is not afraid to combine exciting forms and marks to start a new dialogue about what ceramics can be. 


One of the large drawings by Rebecca Appleby created using marks and layering.



The exhibition is separated into two rooms and upon first entering the gallery space you are met with these bold and colourful pieces. She explores how glazes and slips sit on the surface and how aspects like firing temperature can change the nature of the shapes she creates. 


The work sits poetically alongside each other and flows through the exhibition space. I found the way the show had been curated was strong because forms were left bare and each intricate detail could appreciated. It's so great to see a ceramicist pushing the boundaries of making and combining disciplines. Her drawing is gutsy and confident and works in harmonium with the softness of her structures.

All images used in this blog post are the work of Rebecca Appleby whose work you can find here

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