Press Release
28 | 05 | 18
Matthew Lanyon
‘Faster Than Words: Older Than Thought'
with ceramics by Janet Leach and Jack Doherty
8 September to 6 October 2018
Matthew Lanyon |Drift, 2012
In the first UK exhibition of Matthew Lanyon's work since his death in 2016, New Craftsman Gallery presents ‘Faster Than Words: Older Than Thought', a collection of selected works which celebrate the brilliance and gravity of his career as one of Cornwall's most important artists. The show's title is a quote taken from Matthew's writings on his own work, which always came about, in his words, in the raw manner of a ‘first experiencing'.
Works include White Horse, 2009, the second of the remarkable large-scale paintings Matthew became known for over the last decade; ‘Drift' 2012, an oil painting on glass; the major painting ‘Wreck of the Torrey Canyon (or Crude Oil)' 2014, and ‘An Altar Piece for West Penwith' 2016, a first showing in Cornwall of this beautiful stained-glass triptych, which was Matthew's final finished work. These will be shown alongside smaller paintings, and exquisite examples of the artist's ‘bottles' series, which are comprised of framed cork vials containing Matthew's unique remedies for the suffering we must all endure.
Accompanying these works are collections by two of Cornwall's most influential potters, past and present. Available in association with a private collector are exemplary works by potter Janet Leach, which demonstrate both the influence of her commitment to the Leach Pottery and its creative tenets, and the overriding presence of her own, powerfully independent creative voice.
Complementing these works is an exhibition entitled ‘Grounding' which marks a creatively rich decade for Irish potter Jack Doherty, who moved to Cornwall as Creative Director of the Leach Pottery in 2008. Celebrating his collaborative partnership with curator Sarah Frangleton, who has worked with him on projects including ‘A Place in the World', which took the artist's domestic space as inspiration for a new series of forms, and ‘Waypoint', which connected Doherty with his seafaring history and brought his ceramics into spaces belonging to the fishing community in St Ives, this exhibition launches a new soda-fired collection which has grown from ten years living and working in Cornwall, in unique colours developed from china clay and copper.
Jack Doherty | Guardian Vessel
For further information contact New Craftsman Gallery, 24 Fore St, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 1HE.
01736 795652 / info@newcraftsmanstives.com / www.newcraftsmanstives.com
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For further press information contact Mercedes Smith at Fine Art Communications director@fineartcommunications.co.uk / Tel 07825 270235 /www.fineartcommunications.co.uk
Print Ready 300dpi images for press use:
MATTHEW LANYON Drift 2012
JACK DOHERTY Guardian Vessel
Editors Notes
New Craftsman St Ives
With an international reputation amongst art and craft collectors for its painting, sculpture and quality studio ceramics, the New Craftsman is regarded as one of the most important spaces for contemporary artists in St Ives. Founded in 1962 by Janet Leach, wife of Bernard Leach, it holds an unrivalled reputation as one of the country's leading art and craft venues. Now in its 55th year, the gallery's annual programme of mixed and solo exhibitions continues to support the work of Cornwall's and the UK's very best painters and craftspeople.
New Craftsman Gallery, 24 Fore Street, St. Ives, Cornwall TR26 1HE | Tel: +44 (0)1736 795652 |info@newcraftsmanstives.com| www.newcraftsmanstives.com