Artist of the Month October 2018 – Anne Butler

Monday 8th October 2018 at 2pm

Image: Remnant by Anne Butler

Material, process and structure are all key concepts in Anne’s practice. In her work she challenges the fallibility of the material, experimenting with processes and firing techniques that explore the fragility shared by all things. Her sculptures allude to man-made objects in the natural world, often built up or pared back with layers exposed to reference the object. Like archaeology, conclusions can be drawn about cultural associations, the purpose, and the hand or artistry of the maker. Contrasts between technology and the handmade, and how objects reflect the passage of time and personal or cultural memory, are also referenced in Anne’s sculptures.

Remnant is included in the collection of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. It is one of a series of objects that was ever present in Anne’s childhood. The sculpture explores technology and the handmade skills that today largely inhabit the archives of the past. The piece was created by building up thin layers of parian porcelain, reminiscent of layers of fabric or geographical strata, from which associated hidden artefacts such as scissors or bobbins are revealed and excavated to provide evidence of their own history, association and meaning.

Visit www.annebutlerceramics.com for further information about Anne’s work.

More objects from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s collection can be viewed online at www.artscouncil-ni.org/artwork/imu