Allegories Through Material
UPDATE: A time lapse video of the Allegories Through Material set up:
An MFA thesis exhibition by artist, Ian Bassett. Bassett has been working with ceramic for over a decade, working with both utilitarian and sculptural forms. This familiarity with clay is what prompted Ian’s current exploration of other mediums such as cast iron, bronze and glass. Ian received a BFA in Ceramic form the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, NH and then went on to earn a Post Baccalaureate at Hood College in Frederick, MD.
Currently Ian Bassett is an MFA candidate at the School for American Crafts, at the Rochester Institute of Technology, with a focus in ceramic sculpture. His thesis body of work is exploring functional objects and their metaphorical implications. By interpreting and re-contextualizing objects he forms a dialogue between assumed functions, materials and his own personal voice.
Artist Statement:
The utilitarian object articulates my personal interest in words, language, labor, time, perception, and value. I interpret and re-contextualize these objects along with their assumed function to create sculpture through altering the original material and/or scale. The relationships formed develop a language commenting on the relevance of these objects in a cultural and personal context.
The utilization of language as a component in my work derives from my curiosity with the importance of communication. The differences between the written and spoken word, the letter-forms we use to construct those words, and the meanings conveyed through those formations are elemental factors in communication. In all of these conversations I am interested in how these words, thoughts, and ideas are perceived by the viewer.
