Expressions in Blue is an extraordinary forest of monumental porcelain forms by renowned ceramicist Felicity Aylieff. Painted in cobalt blue underglaze with expressive, abstract brushstrokes, these hand-thrown ceramic vessels and stacked monoliths stand up to five-metres high. Shown in The Weston Gallery and outdoors, the organic energy of their surfaces will resonate with the forms and rhythms of the 18th-century landscape beyond.
Over the past two decades Aylieff has worked in China, collaborating with craftspeople in Jingdezhen, for centuries a city known for its high-quality porcelain production. Her close working relationships with Chinese experts have enabled her to push the limits of her work in this challenging material, significantly increasing its scale. Ambitious and innovative in their physical realisation, the works also demonstrate a contemporary reinterpretation of classic Chinese blue and white porcelain, which Ayleiff describes as ‘new Ming’.
Shown alongside the porcelain forms, photographs reveal the remarkable process of making and its sheer physicality. Also on display is a selection from Aylieff’s expansive range of mark-making tools, including giant horsehair brushes used to whip around the vessels and create energetic flicks and splashes.
The exhibition was first shown at The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Expressions in Blue has been made possible through support and collaboration with Adrian Sassoon, London, who represent the artist internationally.
