The new exhibition at Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics in Bates St delivers diversity, fragility, multiple emotions and an inordinately high level of skill.
Boys of the 70s is an exhibit featuring three potters, all born between 1970 and 1979 - Richard Stratton (born 1970), Paul Maseyk (born 1974) and Andy Kingston (born 1979).
Upstairs in the Simon Manchester Room, the three artists' work proclaim their differences and invite inspection. All works are on loan from Simon Manchester's vast collection.
"They are three of the most exciting people working in clay at the moments," says Rick Rudd, Quartz owner and curator. "Paul Maseyk used to live here, now living in New Plymouth, Richard Stratton from Wellington and Andy Kingston from Northland. They all have developed techniques and ways of working to make the pieces they need to make. A lot of drawn, painted and scratched imagery on top of the vessel form ... All sorts of places they've got ideas from, some of them are quite dark in many respects but there is also humour there.
"They are really exciting works and of such high quality that Whanganui is lucky to have them here."
Wellington businessman Simon Manchester has previously allowed Rick to exhibit ceramics by the late Barry Brickell, lending an impressive body of work from the collection.
"Simon believes in what I'm doing," says Rick.
Simon has been collecting art, particularly New Zealand studio pottery, for more than 25 years. He has been very generous in allowing pieces from his collection to be exhibited at Quartz.
"These pieces were in major places in his apartment. His view of the world has changed with me taking these 18 pieces."
The three artists are completely different in their use of shape, colour and form, and they have adapted and altered traditional styles to give their perspective on things. Most people would find something of interest in the show.
