While a slew of contemporary artists lately have been turning to ceramics, Ron Nagle remains supreme; the only clay artist to be honoured by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Plus, two years ago, some thirty of his clay creations took up roost in the Venice Biennale. These days, both his early and latest oeuvre can be seen at the Chelsea Matthew Marks Gallery exhibition ‘Ron Nagle: Five O’Clock Shadow’.
Nagle’s highly idiosyncratic artistry is revealed in his hand molded clay sculptures dripping with slip glazes all barely several inches in height yet characterised by a dazzling array of textures and palettes. His references alone are highly diverse from Japanese Netsuke to sushi and Krazy Kat cartoons. Always fascinating, Nagle's work summons up a sense of perplexity with some examples bordering on the erotic.
And there’s another facet to Nagle’s rich artistry, too. The multi-talented San Francisco artist has been a member of a number of West Coast rock bands and no less than the Jefferson Airplane as well as other pop icons have performed his songs. Dealers have long pointed out that Nagle’s talents as a lyrist have played across his ceramics. In addition, his rarely seen drawings and bronzes are on view.
It’s no wonder that the esteemed art sage Dave Hickey penned so aptly in 1998, ‘If Fabergé had lived in California, loved hot rods and surfboards and had been blessed with an impudent art-historical wit, on his best day he couldn’t compete with Nagle.’
Banabing, 2013; Long Good Friday, 2015
Grim Trimmins, 2011; Lotta Wattage, 2012
Quiet Wood, 2015; The Tempramentalist, 2015
Boston Scrambler, 2015; Scrunchabunch, 2008
INFORMATION
‘Ron Nagle: Five O’Clock Shadow’ runs until 24 October
Photography courtesy of Matthew Marks Gallery
ADDRESS
Matthew Marks Gallery
522 West 22nd Street
New York, NY 10001
-
All-In is the Paris-based label making full-force fashion for main character dressingPart of our monthly Uprising series, Wallpaper* meets Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø of All-In, the LVMH Prize-nominated label which bases its collections on a riotous cast of characters – real and imagined
-
Maserati joins forces with Giorgetti for a turbo-charged relationshipAnnouncing their marriage during Milan Design Week, the brands unveiled a collection, a car and a long term commitment
-
Through an innovative new training program, Poltrona Frau aims to safeguard Italian craftThe heritage furniture manufacturer is training a new generation of leather artisans
-
'We need to be constantly reminded of our similarities' – Jonathan Baldock challenges the patriarchal roots of a former Roman temple in LondonThrough use of ceramics and textiles, British artist Jonathan Baldock creates a magical and immersive exhibition at ‘0.1%’ at London's Mithraum Bloomberg Space
-
Genesis Belanger is seduced by the real and the fake in LondonSculptor Genesis Belanger’s solo show, ‘In the Right Conditions We Are Indistinguishable’, is open at Pace, London
-
Japanese ceramicist Eriko Inazaki wins 2023 Loewe Foundation Craft PrizeEriko Inazaki has been awarded the 2023 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize for her intricate ceramic work in a ceremony held at New York’s Noguchi Museum
-
Janny Baek’s psychedelic ceramics are objects in fluxKorean-American architect and sculptor Janny Baek speaks about expressing ‘vibrancy, pleasure, and hope’ through her vivid ceramics, ahead of a major show at Culture Object, New York (on view until 20 May 2023)
-
Paola Paronetto’s vibrant collaboration with Veuve Clicquot puts a new spin on the bottleCeramic artist Paola Paronetto's take on packaging for Veuve Clicquot is a multi-hued marvel. We visit the artist in her Porcia studio to discuss the collection of six gift boxes and limited-edition artwork
-
Ceramic artists: top trail-glazers breaking the mouldA way with clay: discover the contemporary ceramic artists firing up a new age for the medium
-
Theaster Gates’ New Museum exhibition meditates on mourning, materials and communityTheaster Gates talks about his first US museum show, ‘Young Lords and Their Traces’ at The New Museum (until 5 February 2023), a moving homage to the creative forces who came before
-
‘Strange Clay’ review: a mucky, uncanny, visceral survey of ceramic artAt London’s Hayward Gallery, group show ‘Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art’ sees ceramic artists explore the physical, psychological, political and power of their medium
