VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft presents the exhibition Naked, on view July 10 through September 4.

“Naked” highlights the work of five contemporary ceramists: Charles Birnbaum, from New York City, NY; Lindsay Feuer, from Philadelphia, PA; Heather Knight, from Asheville, NC; Jennifer McCurdy, from Vineyard Haven, MA; and Kamila Szczesna, from Galveston, TX.

Each of these artists works in all-white porcelain, using no colored glazes to decorate their objects, so the material, form and surface of each piece become the primary focal points. This stripped-down or “naked” body of work reveals the sublime qualities of porcelain: delicate, translucent, smooth and full of possibility.

HCCC Curator of Fine Craft, Gwynne Rukenbrod, envisioned an exhibition of non-functional sculptural works that asks the viewer to concentrate exclusively on form and material. “To me, there is an inherent beauty and peacefulness in white porcelain objects. The emphasis is no longer on the glaze or type of firing, but on the object itself. The artists featured in 'Naked' have shown exceptional craftsmanship through their focus on material, technique and texture, and the exhibition allows their refined aesthetic to shine through.”

Pictured above:  Jennifer McCurdy, Vortex Vessel, 2010. Porcelain. Photo by Gary Mirando.