while on the fastest trip to the northeast ever, i got a chance to stop by the paul clay show at salon 94.  i had heard about it on facebook of course.  people loving it and hating it.  I didn’t really know what to think so i was happy to see it in person.  ken price and ron nagle had small pieces up front.  They were pretty much the only things on individual pedestals.  i LOVED seeing those nagle’s.  he is such a bad ass.  the effort of glaze experimentation is evident, and captivating.  his craftsmanship is strong.  and there he is next to…..i don’t know.  dozens of sculptures and vessels placed on low pedestals or on shelves in a small room.   i felt kind of like i was at a thrift store, sifting through discarded items for treasures to take home.  there were some super tight, clean vessels and jewelry next to a pile of naively executed apples and balls of clay.  i guess that it may have been the curators idea of cleverness, to place work with such seemingly different motivations side by side.  perhaps this clean, probably mass produced piece of porcelain jewelry is nicer than this messy pinch bowl?  but what are the artist’s intentions?  is the jewelry devoid of content?  and what’s this kurt weiser doing here hidden amongst everything else? 

did anyone else see the show?