2023
In Exchange For The Fire
In summer 2023, a group of students traveled to Greece to explore the origins, history, and contemporary use of this earliest gift of the gods. For nearly a month they engaged practicing artists and archaeologists in demonstrations and discussions at studios, galleries, storerooms, and museums throughout Greece. Daily “hands on” study of vessels and other ceramic artifacts at the MSU Excavations at Isthmia provided unique insights into ancient processes and techniques. Concurrent collaboration with the Global Arts Studio, an arts academy in nearby Corinth, encouraged open exploration of clay’s creative possibilities.
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The works on display here reflect each individual’s unique experience on this program, inspired by life in a historically and culturally rich Mediterranean setting. Rather than imitate artifacts and styles of the past, every artist explores the relevance of those traditions in their own contemporary lives. It is exciting to see what they have done with this first gift of the gods.
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In Exchange for the Fire was curated by Rebecca Casement. This special exhibition brings together the work of ten MSU students: Emma Borowski, Julia Egbert, Nahom Ghebredngl, Christi Lopez, Morgan Manuszak, Ally Miscikoski, Marissa Rubaiai, Mackenzie Sheehan-D'arrigo, Liz Vadella, and Megan Weaver.
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WORDS BY JON FREY
EXHIBITION IMAGES BY DANIEL TREGO
Trench 23 by Morgan Manuszak
Mold made, hand finished, mid-fire stoneware, acrylic paint
Mythology of The Self by Mackenzie Sheehan-D’arrigo
Low-fire red earthenware paper clay, metal, acrylic
The Wide Stones Scare Me by Nahom Ghebredngl
Wire, wood, paper, plaster, acrylic, slab-built press-molded mid-fire stoneware
A Necessary Evil by Ally Miscikoski
Hand-built low-fire white earthenware
Is It Enough? by Emma Borowski
Combination of molded, coil-built, and slab made low-fire white earthenware and wheel-thrown mid-fire stoneware vessels
Shifting, Pulling, Changing by Marissa Rubaiai
Slab-built tiles, oil paint, wood
Warped Solace by Julia Egbert
Mid-fire red stoneware from Greece; overfired
Sacred Spaces by Christi Lopez
Press molded, wheel finished, mid-fire stoneware
Terminus Post Quem by Megan Weaver
Plexiglass, sand, wood, stone, wood ash, hand-built and wheel thrown mid-fire stoneware mementos
Open Up by Liz Vadella
Wheel-thrown, altered mid-fire stoneware vessel