Pittsfield, MA.- The Ferrin Gallery is proud to present “The Pursuit of Porcelain” an installation of ceramic sculpture, photography and works on paper, based on a is an a European 18th century porcelain room filled with a collection of figurines, plates and objects. The installation, conceived by sculptor Chris Antemann includes her own sculpture and photography shown along with interpretations of the concept by other invited artists who share her passion for porcelain and its history. “The Pursuit of Porcelain” is on view at the gallery until July 24th.
Amongst the artists included in the show are Chris Antemann, Christa Assad, Barnaby Barford, Sean Capone, Lucy Feller, Gesine Hackenberg, Molly Hatch, Giselle Hicks, Sergei Isupov, Garth Johson, James Klein & David Reid, Steve Lee, Frances Palmer, Kelly Garrett Rathbone, Vipoo Srivlasa, Mara Superior, Jason Walker, Kurt Weiser, Gerit Grimm, Red Weldon Sandlin, Bill Wright, and Gwendolyn Yoppolo. Bill Wright, Portrait Photographer captured the group of artists assembled in NYC for the opening of Pursuit of Porcelain in group and individual portraits. A show of these photographs is included in the exhibtion.
Chris Antemann is one of seven artists designated by Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson to receive the Portland Art Museum’s Northwest Art Awards in June. Of the seven, one person will be awarded the $10,000 Arlene Schnitzer Prize, named after the former art dealer and local patron who funded the museum’s Northwest art program. Antemann has been chosen for ‘MEISSEN artCAMPUS’ Experiencing Porcelain, a program initiated in 2010 by MEISSEN Porcelain Manufactory’ as the company looks back over three centuries of fine porcelain art, jewellery and architecture in fine porcelain. Meissen’s CEO, Christian Kurtzke adds, “Meissen has always been committed to nurturing and promoting both up and coming and established international artists. We look forward to welcoming Antemann whose work perfectly captures the traditional style and craftsmanship of the brand yet in a characteristically contemporary and witty way.”
Antemann, 41 years old, earned her M.F.A. in ceramics from the University of Minnesota and her B.F.A. in ceramics & painting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has exhibited extensively in the United States and China. Her work can be found in many private and public collections, including the Museum of Arts and Design, The 21 C. Hotel Museum, The KAMM Teapot Foundation, The Archie Bray Foundation, and the Foshan Ceramic Museum in China. Her artist residencies include The Archie Bray Foundation and The John Michael Kohler Arts Center, where she was the NEA funded resident. Most recently, she is the 2010 First Place Winner of the Virginia A. Groot Grant, a prestigious grant awarded to artists working in 3D to allow them time to further their work.
Ferrin Gallery, established in 1979, is one of the nation’s premier ceramic art and sculpture galleries. The gallery program presents changing exhibitions featuring contemporary art, photography and sculpture from throughout the region along with nationally known ceramic sculptors and studio potters. The gallery is located in downtown Pittsfield in the heart of the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, an area known for its cultural offerings. Ferrin Gallery, was located in Northampton, MA, a college town in Western Massachusetts, for over twenty years. It shared its location with Pinch Pottery, a shop that featured functional ceramics and affordable handmade objects. Established in 1979, Pinch Pottery began as a studio and showroom with founding partners, Leslie Ferrin, Mara Superior and Barbara Walch. In 1987 Ferrin Gallery was established when the business moved to Main Street. Donald Clark joined the team in 1990. In Northampton, Ferrin Gallery showed work in ceramics from local and regional artists, periodic theme shows of work in all media and specialized in contemporary teapots. In July, 1999, the combination shop and gallery formally separated, with the Ferrin Gallery relocation to Lenox, MA. Renovation of the space in Northampton took place and the shop reopened with a new name, P!NCH. In February of 2006, P!NCH was sold to Jena Sujat. In 2004, Ferrin Gallery took over the space occupied in Lenox, MA by the Ute Stebich Gallery and began showing painting, photography and mixed media sculpture and continued the tradition of both solo and thematic group shows. In June 2007, the gallery opened a 2600 sq ft space in downtown Pittsfield. and closed the Lenox location in the fall of 2007. During the “off season” the gallery participates in national art fairs in Miami, Palm Beach, Chicago and New York. Visit the gallery’s website at … www.FerrinGallery.com