SHAPE/SHIFT

SHAPE/SHIFT presents a conversation between a trio of Maine ceramic artists and educators whose non-functional works embody forms that are uncanny, architectural, biomorphic, and abstract. Each of the artists, Ben Babcock, Jackie Brown, and Patrick Coughlin approach ceramics with unconventional approaches: casted architectural forms, 3D printing, and mixed media including textiles, woodworking, and metal fabrication. All three use clay as a form of record keeping, using the flexibility of the material to mimic and stretch familiar structures and material landscapes.

Maine has a rich and celebrated history of ceramics which continues to evolve in exciting ways today. Artists and artisans, past and present, look to the foraging of Presumpscot blue clay, the bricks of Portland and the nationally-acclaimed Maine-based ceramics residencies. Across the state, classes and programs are filling up and new studios are emerging, signaling a dynamic moment for clay as a craft community and contemporary art. This exhibition celebrates that momentum through the work of three artist-educators who are each shaping the next generation of ceramics artists while pushing the boundaries of the form in their own practices. Their work is paired for visitors with a pop-up reading library about ceramics, clay, and pottery, alongside select artist books and zines.

Image credit: Detail of one of Jackie Brown’s works