Fuze
6 July - 15 July 2021

Artereal Gallery is excited to present Fuze – a new body of abstract sculptural ceramics by Sydney-based experimental ceramicist Luke Ryan O’Connor.

An artist in residence at Kil.n.it Experimental Ceramic Studios (known for their explorative, avant-garde attitude to the production of fine art ceramics), O’Connor is fast establishing a reputation for himself as an artist whose practice involves utilising the traditional utilitarian language of ceramics and reconfiguring it in imaginative and alternative ways. O’Connor’s artworks may also be familiar having been recently included in Art Collector Magazine’s 2021 list of 50 things collectors should know.

(To view and purchase artworks from this series, including pricing details, scroll to the end of this online exhibition page).

Group shot wide angle 1200 x 2058

Luke Ryan O’Connor, Fuze series, 2021, photographed by Josh Bentley.

Luke Ryan O’Connor is a process driven artist with a practice akin to that of an alchemist. The developmental stage of each new body of artworks begins with experimentation and the development of varied glazes and unconventional textures. Working through the self-imposed limitations attached to the creation of a vessel provides O’Connor with a basic concept and an archetype from which to elaborate. His resulting artforms bring together multiple methods of manual production, from wheel throwing, to hand building and slip casting. The hybridity of this creative mode and the elusive nature of the artwork results in objects that evade simple categorisation.

Developing upon earlier bodies of work, this series sees the artist embrace an expanded colour palette. Polychromatic colours transverse the shiny glazed surfaces and tonal variants, achieved through gradient colours, are visible on the matte protrusions. The artist elaborates: “Bright and poppy colours have always been alluring to me particularly in contrast to ceramic material which has strong associations with earthy terracotta tones or the pristine white of porcelain. Throughout this series vibrant greens, yellows, pinks, and blues are applied over the top of deep black iron rich glaze designed to bubble and pucker during firing. The result is a highly elaborate skin like surface of mottled colour and texture.”

Slip cast appendages appear sporadically across the surface of the works. Some take the form of geometric growths with sharp edges, while others appear as knobbly loops that evoke the idea of functional handles. The surface of these appendages appear coarse and are sheathed in vibrant matte colour. They remain static during firing allowing the molten glaze to flow and ooze around them. They could also be seen as arms supporting the weight of thick glaze globules, preventing them from melding into the main body.

Display and the concept of the plinth is also relevant to the works. Each vessel body is attached to a ceramic pedestal. Typically, the plinth is seen as supplementary to the work, however O’Connor merges the vessels with their plinth to heighten the self-consciousness of the display – a technique particularly resonant when viewed on digital platforms.

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Pink & Blue, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, Gold Lustre, 1200h. 1

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Pink & Blue, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, Gold Lustre, 1200h, 2

Fuze Polychrome Vessel Yellow & Grey, crop. 1 1200h

Fuze Polychrome Vessel Yellow & Grey, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, Gold Lustre, 1200h. 1

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Pearl & Grey, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, Platinum Lustre, 1200h. 1

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Green & Pink, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, Platinum Lustre, 1200h. 3

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Green & Pink, crop. 1 1200h

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Green & Orange, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, Gold Lustre, 1200h. 2

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Pink and Blue, 2021 Stoneware, Glaze, platinum Lustre, 1200h. 1

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Pink and Blue, crop 1200h

Artist Biography

Luke Ryan O’Connor is a Sydney-based artist working primarily across ceramics, sculpture and installation. O’Connor graduated in 2016 from Sydney College of the Arts, The University of Sydney where he obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Honours (First Class).

Since that time he has steadily developed a reputation for a ceramics practice which is equally grounded in technique and experimentation. O’Connor’s work has been exhibited across Australia as well as in recent international shows in New Zealand & Germany. Selected exhibitions from the last few years include shows at Artereal Gallery, Michael Reid Gallery in Berlin, the Jam Factory in Adelaide, Sydney Contemporary, and as a finalist in the 2018 Churchie Art Prize at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.

Luke Ryan O’Connor was featured in Art Collector Magazine’s 2021 list of ’50 things collectors should know’. He is currently working towards an upcoming solo exhibition at Bega Valley Regional Art Gallery to be held in late 2021.

View all of the artworks in this online exhibition below. Please click on artwork to view in full screen mode. 

All prices are in Australian dollars and inclusive of GST. Freight and shipping costs not included. Please contact the gallery for assistance with freight and shipping. Prices are correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change without notice. For sales enquiries email: info@artereal.com.au

Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Pink & Blue

2021. Stoneware, glaze, gold lustre. 29 x 17 x 17
$1,100 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Green & Orange

2021. Stoneware, glaze, gold lustre. 27 x 19 x 19cm
$1,100 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Orange & Yellow

2021. Stoneware, glaze, platinum lustre. 27 x 19 x 19cm
$1,100 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Green & Pink

2021. Stoneware, glaze, platinum lustre. 26 x 17 x 17cm
$850 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze Polychrome Vessel Yellow & Grey

2021. Stoneware, glaze, gold lustre. 26 x 16 x 16cm
$850 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Pink and Blue

2021. Stoneware, glaze, platinum lustre. 25 x 15 x 15cm
$850 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze Polychrome Vessel, Tan & Caramel

2021. Stoneware, glaze, gold lustre. 27 x 16 x 16cm
$850 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Purple & Green

2021. Stoneware, glaze, gold lustre. 27 x 16 x 16cm
$1,100 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Pearl & Grey

2021. Stoneware, glaze, platinum lustre. 19 x 16 x 16cm
$850 (SOLD)
Luke Ryan O'Connor

Fuze, Polychrome Vessel Dark golden & chartreuse

2021. Stoneware, glaze, gold lustre. 21 x 19 x 19cm
$850
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