Martin McWilliam
Timeless illusions in perspective
After the summer from 29th August to 3 October the in Germany based Martin McWilliam exhibits in Terra Delft Gallery.He showes a selection of his new work influenced by his stay at Jingdezhen (CN) in 2014. The archaeological character of his work became even stronger. It looks ancient by the raw material and the ‘ exposed ‘ Chinese shards. In addition he shows new, more classical objects.
Martin writes:
I make ‘trompe-l’œil’ vessels.
They give the idea of simple bowls and jars from tradition that have given me a lifelong fascination- but take them into another space of the mind – the question arises
what is real?
Why do we see what we see?
Changing space and time with slight shifts of perspective. My methods are as simple/direct as possible where chance has space to surprise. This leads me along a narrow ridge between my will and that of the material.
After two decades of research around this external image of a vessel in my typical reversed ‘trompe-l’œil’ type of ‘vessel and its image’ I then – for two years – explored the interior of these archetypical bowls and jars.
In my most recent work -it is not the inner that engaged me – but the core itself “the Shard”. Prepared surfaces are struck off after the firing with a hammer and chisel to reveal an archaeological looking ‘core’.
ever tried – ever failed
never mind
try again – fail again
fail beautifully
(S. Beckett “fail better”)
Etty Walda
Galerie Terra Delft
