Exhibitions
FORGE
Metal Museum / 374 Metal Museum Dr., Gasparrini Galleries May 13, 2018 - August 19, 2018
Egor Bavykin (Russia), Claudio Bottero (Italy), Ambrose Burne (Wales), Francisco Gazitua (Chile), Nils Hint (Estonia), Takayoshi Komine (Japan), Daniel Neville (USA), Patrick Quinn (USA), Daniel Randall (USA), Leszek Sikon (Poland), Richard Smith (USA), Fred Truus (Estonia), Christian Vaughan Jones (Wales), Stephen Yusko (USA), Heiner Zimmermann (Germany)
The Metal Museum is pleased to announce Forge, a Ruthin Craft Centre exhibition, made in collaboration with Hereford College of Arts, curated by Delyth Done and produced by Gregory Parsons.
Forge will open on Sunday, May 13 and runs through Sunday, August 19, 2018. The Metal Museum will host an Exhibition Reception & Gallery Talk with curator Delyth Done and several participating artists on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at 3PM with the Gallery Talk beginning at 4PM.
Contemporary forged metal design is an emerging, innovative international discipline. This exhibition represents a global paradigm shift from the traditional discourse of the blacksmith and breaks new ground by synthesizing and articulating the practice of creative working with forged metal. Multi-modal aspects of the exhibition showcase the visually exciting craft of working with hot metal, and the invention and innovation that is an integral part of the making process.
Fifteen international metal artists whose practice has been identified as having a significant impact present their work. They represent a new wave of contemporary artists who have developed an innovative, design-led practice. Curator and Professor at Hereford College of Arts, Delyth Done, states:
“Contemporary artist blacksmiths are creating original and cohesive bodies of work, works which engage not only with the practices and forms of traditional blacksmithing, with its focus on material, process and function; but also with many broader cultural, environmental and socio- political conversations. These works bring a fresh perspective to the discipline and demand new critical consideration, giving focus to an international community of artist blacksmithing driven by ideas and concept as much as by process and material.”
It reflects how the conceptual territory of the discipline is evolving, and explores the changing significance of working with a centuries-old medium and process within a 21st century context. “The future of forged ironwork has little in terms of obstacles except the perceptions derived from its historical formats. The materials itself poses no limitations in its ability to be applied creatively to our built environment. The limitation is only in our perception of the possibilities of iron,” explains participating artist Daniel Randall.
Multi-modal aspects of the exhibition showcase the visually exciting craft of working with hot metal, and the invention and innovation that is an integral part of the making process.
