Rendered Fusion: Clay, Connection, Attention presents work by artists who explore how clay gives form to experiences of time and place as concept, material investigation, and creative expression. Richmond, Virginia, has been the location of countless fusions throughout history, some violent, some subtle, many ignored, others celebrated. Clay is an ideal medium through which to render fusions of time and place via form, technique, and symbolism. Clay has witnessed, recorded, and even influenced alliances and separations throughout history. Its material resilience ensures this role in the future.
Guest-curated by public historian Dr. Lauranett Lee and independent curator N. Elizabeth Schlatter (both based in Richmond), the exhibition Rendered Fusion was organized in partnership with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), in conjunction with NCECA’s annual conference Coalescence, which takes place in Richmond from March 20-23, 2024.
What is NCECA?
Founded in 1966, the National Council on Education for the Arts (NCECA), is a dynamic 501(c)3 organization that engages and sustains a community for ceramic art, teaching, and learning. Among their major activities is an annual conference held in different parts of the U.S., and this year it occurs in Richmond, Virginia, from March 20-23, 2024, with the theme of “Coalescence.” Information about NCECA and the conference can be found at www.nceca.net
What is NCECA’s Annual Exhibition?
Every NCECA conference features a handful of cornerstone exhibitions, with Rendered Fusion: Clay, Connection, Attention, being the curated Annual Exhibition. Concurrent exhibitions include the 2024 NCECA Multicultural Fellowship Exhibition at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center, and the 2024 NCECA Juried Student Exhibition at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. Dozens of related exhibitions and programs are being presented at museums, galleries, and studios in the greater Richmond area.
How was this exhibition organized?
Each year a different curator is selected to create the exhibition theme, invite a small selection of artists whose work relates to the theme to participate in the show, and to jury additional works into the exhibition based on entries submitted via a call for participation. The curators for the 2024 exhibition are Dr. Lauranett Lee and N. Elizabeth Schlatter, both Richmond-based.
Who is in this exhibition?
The six artists invited to participate in the Rendered Fusion are Elissa Armstrong, JSTN CLMN, Jason Hackett, Marcè Nixon-Washington, Virgil Ortiz, and Winnie Owens-Hart. The co-curators selected additional artwork by more than thirty artists, out of the over 350 artists who submitted work for consideration. The artists of the juried work hail from around the country and abroad (including several from Virginia) and represent different stages in their careers and training, from students to retired professors, from DIY-ers to established professionals.
Megan Angolia, Elissa Armstrong, Jasmine Baetz, Katie Botterman, Larry Buller, Pattie Chalmers, JSTN CLMN, Nicolas Darcourt, Marcel Deolazo, Michael Dela Dika, Auguste Elder, Rice Evans, Jason Hackett, Marcia Haffmans, Dara Hartman, Danielle Hawk, Jing Huang, Lori Katz, Mayumi Kiefer, J.J. McCracken, Cynthia Morelli, Marcè Nixon-Washington, Eric Ordway, Virgil Ortiz, Winnie Owens-Hart, Albert Pfarr, Freddy Santana, Margaret Park Smith and Josh Smith, Tuyen Stricker, Hayun Surl, Micah Sweezie, Lydia C. Thompson, Garima Tripathi, Donna Webb, Brant Weiland, and Robert L. Wood.
