Thrown

Thrown: Studio ceramics from the Kenneth Hood Bequest is a tribute to a connoisseur and passionate collector who had a wide-ranging but focused approach to his collecting. Kenneth Hood was interested in both international and Australian ceramic artists and his passion was collecting thrown stoneware pieces created in a studio environment. Hood’s collection is comprehensive and, with the addition of works acquired through his Bequest Fund, provides the opportunity for a detailed examination of both the history and the development of Australian studio ceramics.

The term ‘thrown’ is used to describe the process of making a pot using a potter’s wheel. The throwing of a pot involves centring a prepared ball of clay on a rotating wheel head and forming a vessel using a combination of centrifugal action and the controlled use of the hands and fingers.

This exhibition presents the thrown form and looks at its place in Australian studio ceramics practice. It traces the links between English master potter Bernard Leach and Australian devotees of his teachings and the traditions he espoused. It also looks at the unique position Australian artist Merric Boyd holds in the history of ceramics in this country and the influence he had in the development of a distinctive vernacular.