The Garden Growing On Within Us
New work by Marney McDiarmid
June 28th – July 20th
Wall Space Gallery, Ottawa ON
We all need a place to put things - metaphorically or physically, emotions or objects. The box operates as a symbol of containment. It speaks to our need to hold on to what is most precious or to lock away what is most frightening.
My previous ceramic work consisted primarily of semi-functional bowls. In these pieces I sought to create a sense of story by positioning densely patterned slabs alongside one another. I used found objects, organic materials, drawing, text, stamps, photo transfer and custom decals to mark each slab and the juxtaposition of pattern, image and texture offered up an open narrative to the viewer.
These boxes are something different. The pieces are constructed out of porcelain and then serve as a blank canvas for lush, graphic imagery inspired by concepts of growth, decay and regeneration. A garden can overtake you, nourish you, or provide a place to hide. The knob of each box is an elaborately crafted finial that evokes a playful other worldliness, alluding to a place that is yet to be discovered.
I imagine these boxes as little spaces for what we need to hold on to, as the garden grows on within us, always altering the landscape.