Category: News

Concurrent exhibitions now showing until 7 December : Stephen Bowers – A Conference of Birds and Mark Thompson – sine qua non.

This exhibition brings together two celebrated artists from South Australia, internationally acclaimed ceramicist, Stephen Bowers and Mark Thompson, one of Australia’s leading set and costume designers in addition to being a painter and ceramic artist. Both artists showcase ornate patterning in their work and are inspired by the history of art and design within their own unique style.

Bowers also looks to creatures, here a flock of birds across a series of plates, portrayed in bright colours against complex, fragmented backgrounds inspired by designs from ceramics, engravings and textiles. These works speak to the idea of pattern-in-nature and nature-in-pattern and reflect on the tensions of humanity’s appropriation of the natural world for our own use, the fragments representing this broken relationship.

Internationally acclaimed ceramicist, Stephen Bowers ​p​resents a flock of birds across a series of plates, vividly portrayed in bright colours against complex, fragmented backgrounds inspired by designs from ceramics, engravings and textiles. ​This rich mash-up of visual ideas is playfully and skillfully rendered using meticulous brushstrokes that are imitative of industrial process. The ornate patterning  inspired by the history of art and design​, speaks to the idea of pattern-in-nature and nature-in-pattern and reflect on the tensions of humanity’s appropriation of the natural world for our own use, the fragments representing this broken relationship. 

Mark Thompson, one of Australia’s leading set and costume designers in addition to being a painter and ceramic artist, showcases ornate patterning in his work, inspired by the history of art and design within his own unique style. In this current exhibition, Thompson utilises the sculptural form of the bust for many of his fantastical works, with decorative elements and characteristic theatrical flourish. Another reference is the tradition of ceramic creatures, including the wonderful Juggling Pug with links to the Order of the Pug, established in Bavaria around 1740 with resulting porcelain commissions of that time.

Preview the exhibitions and download the illustrated catalogues with essays by Leslie Ferrin, Director Ferrin Contemporary, USA and John Neylon, Australian arts writer.

Bowers catalogue

Thompson catalogue

Lauraine Diggins Fine Art is participating at the AAADA Sydney Fair at Paddington Town Hall 7 – 10 November. The Gallery will be staffed during this time for visitors to the Stephen Bowers and Mark Thompson exhibitions, although you may wish to ring to confirm your visit time 03 9509 9855.