Traditionally the preserve of applied artists, in recent years craft techniques have increasingly ‘crossed over’ into fine art territory, often with a radical or subversive edge. Since Grayson Perry won the Turner Prize in 2003 for his labour-intensive, but controversially decorated coil-pots, the art world has lost its fear and disdain for the word ‘craft’, with contemporary collectors increasingly acquiring adventurous artworks constructed in traditional techniques such as textiles, ceramics and taxidermy.
This is the second exhibition curated by Artwise for Pallant House Gallery that is inspired by the museum’s ‘Collection of Collections’ that looked at contemporary art through the lens of the collector.
Regular visitors to the museum came across some unexpected changes in the galleries, such as contemporary butterfly wallpaper by Damien Hirst adorning the walls of the new wing that domesticated the white cube space and Chippendale furniture from the old house sat alongside Susan Hefuna's Arabic carved wooden screen and Grayson Perry's ceramics and tapestries. Some of the artworks were 'hidden' amongst the existing displays such as Mona Hatoum’s glass hand grenade: strategically placed amongst the Arthur Miller Collection of eighteenth century Irish glass.
The Contemporary Eye Series was a great success, providing a fascinating insight into the world of art collecting as well as bringing together contemporary collector, artist, guest curator and gallery in a unique and effective collaboration.
Participating Artists
Artists Anonymous
Barnaby Barford
Ruth Claxton
Jake & Dinos Chapman
Laura Ford
Neil Hamon
Mona Hatoum
Susan Hefuna
Damien Hirst
Gary Hume
Rachel Kneebone
Jeff Koons
Debbie Lawson
Charles LeDray
Livia Marin
Kelly McCallum
Polly Morgan
Grayson Perry
Nina Saunders
Paloma Varga Weisz
Joana Vasconcelos
Edmund de Waal