Ken Eastman, 'The Shape of Things'

About

Ken Eastman creates intriguing, multi-faceted yet undulating vessels. Variations of texture and smoothness sit side by side, and naturalistic forms run into angular architectural lines. With no one set viewing point, his Escher like structures have the seemingly impossible ability to shift and alter their entire appearance. Through his new work Eastman investigates a current fascination with colour. Realising a profound sense of intrigue, he explains that ‘colour itself can find things, it allows you to discover variations of intensity'. Deep greens, blues and purples evolve and resonate upon the surface, adding to the dramatic energy of the work. They are alive with a dynamism that is entirely unique. Eastman's previous work was firmly rooted to its physical surroundings. Here he has stepped into a more abstract, philosophical realm. He challenges himself to make the most physically demanding and difficult pieces possible, and seeks to explore that which he ‘doesn't quite understand' in a ‘physical and conceptual balancing act'. Biographical Notes Ken Eastman (b. 1960) studied at Edinburgh College of Art and at the Royal College of Art. He has won many prestigious awards in the field of the ceramic arts, including the Premio Faenza, Italy in 1995, the Gold Medal at the World Ceramic Exposition 2001 Korea and the 'President De la Generalitat Valencia' at the 5th Biennale International De Ceramica, Manises, Spain. In 1998-99 he was awarded the Arts Foundation Fellowship in Ceramics and elected as a member of the International Academy of Ceramics in 2003. Examples of his work are held in numerous public collections including The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA; Musee des Arts Decoratifs de Montreal, Canada; Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia; Museum Boijmans van Beunigen, Rotterdam; Landesmuseum, Stuttgart; Museu de Ceramica de Manises, Valencia; and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.