Many of you who have recently visited Over-Seas House will have seen the new exhibition adorning the walls of the Central Lounge, Gibbs staircase and Duke of York Bar. Run in partnership with the Printmakers Council, one of the most striking components is an installation in the back of the Bar by ceramicist Connor Coulston. Based on his nan's fireplace, read on to find out about Connor's work.
The opportunity to create a new installation at the Royal Over-Seas League was a good time for me to explore the ready-made. I am fascinated by the life and memory of objects, in particular those found at car boots or in charity shops. What drives someone to buy a kitsch ornament of a little boy and girl playing tag? Why did someone buy a small inexpensive ceramic owl? Why did they both end up in the bargain bin at Oxfam?
The theme of the show is memory, so I delved into my own thoughts and ideas of repurposing these objects; giving them new life and purpose and placing them on an artistic platform.
Alongside my own work, these found objects amalgamate to sing harmoniously while at the same time sharing each own's memories and experiences of the world.
Alongside the installation, I carefully selected locations within the clubhouse to place my babies, the colourful burr’s or to someone with clear diction, ‘the bears’. They aim to entertain and be a playful interaction with the architecture of the building.
Since the Private View, I have started my position as the Ceramics Art Teacher at Eton College, where I hope to enlighten my future students to the endless possibilities of the materiality of clay. More recently, I have been selected by SkyArts to be one of 50 artists to explore what it means to be British, where I will create and expand my MA body of work. This will be shown next February alongside a documentary shown on SkyArts channel.
You can view Connor's work and the rest of the exhibition at Over-Seas House until 2 December 2018.
