Life on Mars, Chahan Gallery
This chunky, rough-hewn yet terribly sophisticated artpiece is actually a ceramic sculptural wall by the incredibly talented (and sought after) New York artist/ceramicist … and now sculptor … Peter Lane. Made of stoneware with a metallic glaze, this imposing wall sculpture is indescribably beautiful. What is most astonishing is that it is not bronze!
Life on Mars, Chahan Gallery
Like most ceramicists, Lane started off by making lovely small vessels and pots (which he still continues to make). But unlike most ceramists, he expanded to create larger objects like cocktail tables, mirrors and these amazing ceramic walls which are complicated feats of art and engineering. In Peter’s words:
The sculpture is designed as a whole and I build it all at once, laid out on the floor of my studio. It has the quality of an action or performance since I have to finish the entire piece before the clay gets too dry. When the sculpting is complete, I use big metal blades to cut the entire work into individual modules, or tiles, so that they’re not too large or heavy to fit into the kiln.
Mad River, installed, Gray Gallery, Los Angeles
To mount the work I have to have a very solid wall, as it can weigh several tons when it’s done. I developed a special system of fasteners that attach directly through the piece into the wall that holds each tile very securely. There is always a certain level of unpredictability as the clay shrinks and the glaze drips, but once each piece is fully mounted, the original image of the whole reappears and all the technical issues fade into the background.
As one can appreciate from the images, these pieces of wall art add a fabulously rich aesthetic to a room that regular brick, stone, wood, tile or wallpaper cannot. They’re simply genius!
Anolia, installed, Private Residence, Miami
image credits (top 2): Chahan Gallery, Paris. The artist is represented by Chahan as well as the Gray Gallery, Los Angeles. (bottom 2) via Peter Lane.
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