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Charlotte Bruhn
June 12, 2010
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RIVERSEA GALLERY PRESENTS WITTY TALES TOLD IN CLAY
Charlotte Bruhn
Local artist Charlotte Bruhn presents her new series of hand-carved tile mosaics in a show titled "Courting the Subjective," opening Saturday, June 12, at RiverSea Gallery. Fragments of myth, fairytale and history flirt with each other in this engaging collection of wall-mounted work, which can be experienced in total as a richly composed narrative. Stop by the opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 12, to chat with the artist and enjoy complimentary wine and catered treats. Then, embark on a magical mystery tour full of high character and droll imagination as the story of the exhibit unfolds around you. The artwork will remain on display through July 6.
Never one to let her art be bound by convention, Bruhn has truly unleashed her creativity with this new series. For the past 9 years she has been known for her wry and whimsical interpretations of classical myth in clay. Her sense of humor, wit and historical reference fully blossoms in this new collection, incorporating detailed bas-relief clay with mixed-media textural layerings. The mosaics are composed of Bruhn's own handmade tile and broken pieces known as tesserae. "Beads, rocks and found objects play between the tessarae, often replacing grout as the bonding seam," said the artist. "In layering the textures, I resorted to my personal collection of ephemera, including excerpts from old journals, school book doodles and embroidery projects."
Bruhn is a storyteller, and "Courting the Subjective" is a tale woven through many chapters and settings, each one a separate work of art. The exhibit title is also a play on words, starting with the idea of a queen's court and evolving into a study of contrasting themes juxtaposed against her various "subjects," the main characters of the story. The artist deftly uses her medium to convey a narrative peopled with iconic characters, both real and imagined. Rich, juicy glazes illuminate the sly glance of a jester, a smug Henry VIII, a coyly beckoning angel. Their stories are of Bruhn's direction and their stage is the clay tablet from whjich they emerge, some quietly, some fighting for attention as they pull from the surface.
In addition to the larger mosaics, Bruhn has created what she calls "Village Houses," small slab-work assemblages that stand alone or in a group and echo the themes of the narrative. These storybook "houses" are the premise for the various chapters, and each features its own main character within. "My goal is to have all the various elements come together to tell a story, and for each story to become a part of the 'village' or bigger picture," said Bruhn. Collectors of her work are bound to recognize some returning themes and characters, and also be intrigued by the evolution of her vision and artistry.
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