NATURE/NURTURE

2021 | NATURE/NURTURE II

NCECA 2021 Virtual Conference
Rivers, Reflections, and Reinvention
March 17, 2021 – March 21, 2021

Gallery Presentation
1315 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams
March 17, 2021 – May 29, 2021

In March 2020 we invited a group of women artists to explore the influence of gender and its impact on their creative practice. This year, Nature/Nurture returns with new additional works as a virtual exhibition at NCECA’s first virtual conference, with select works on view at Ferrin Contemporary.

Opening Reception

March 19, 2021 @ 7pm on Zoom

Shop Select Works

Select works available on our Online Store.
Inquire for additional works.

NATURE/NURTURE, Gallery Installation presented in 2020 at 1315 MASS MoCA Way, March 4 -June 27, 2020.

Artists Include:

Cristina Córdova
Giselle Hicks
Lauren Mabry
Anina Major
Crystal Morey
Kadri Pärnamets
Linda Sikora
Sally Silberberg
Rae Stern
Mara Superior
Tricia Zimic

Cristina Córdova, ‘Altar’, 2019, ceramic and photograph installation, 83 x 75 x 82″.

Giselle Hicks, “Group of Vessels”, 2019, stoneware, glaze, 21 x 60 x 8″, 2′ x 5′.

Lauren Mabry, “Glazescape 20.03″, 2020, earthenware, slip, glaze, 12.5 x 9 x 3.5”, view 3.

Lauren Mabry, “Cylinder 20.10″, 2020, earthenware, slip, glaze, 7.25 x 8.5 x 8.5”.

Lauren Mabry, “Cylinder 20.01″ 2020, earthenware, slip, glaze, 8 x 8 x 5”.

Lauren Mabry, ‘Cylinder 20.03’ 2020, earthenware, slip, glaze, 8 x 9 x 9″.

Lauren Mabry, “Glaze Flow Blocks 20.02″, 2020, earthenware, slip, glaze, 11.5 x 9 x 11.75”

Anina Major, “Hybrid Gourd”, 2019, stoneware, glaze, 18 x 18 x 14″.

Crystal Morey, “Three Graces” 2019, hand-sculpted porcelain, 19 x 10 x 8″.

Kadri Pärnamets, “Moor” 2019, porcelain, slip, glaze, 8 x 9 x 6″.

Kadri Pärnamets, ‘Noon Dance’ 2019, porcelain, slip, glaze, 8.5 x 9 x 4.5″

Kadri Pärnamets, “Sultry Night” 2019, porcelain, slip, glaze, 6 x 10.5 x 5.5″.

Kadri Pärnamets, “Waggle Dance”, 2019, porcelain, slip, glaze, 11.5 x 6.5 x 6″.

Linda Sikora, “Bucket Jar”, 2019, porcelain, underglaze, salt glaze, 11 x 10.5 x 10.5″

Linda Sikora, “Tall Cylinder Jar”, 2019, porcelain, underglaze, salt glaze, 11 x 7.5 x 7.5″

Linda Sikora, “Low Cylinder Box”, 2019, porcelain, underglaze, salt glaze, 6 x 8 x 8″

Linda Sikora, “Dome Jar”, 2019, porcelain, underglaze, salt glaze, 12.5 x 9.5 x 9.5″

“Nature/Nurture” Installation View, Sally Silberberg, 2020.

Sally Silberberg, “Black Striae”, 1988-2019, porcelain, enameled wooden base, 11 x 16.5 x 17″.

Sally Silberberg, “Blue Striae”, 1988-2019, porcelain, enameled wooden base, 15 x 12 x 12.5″.

Rae Stern, “Steve Sherry: Not old friends but good friends” 2019, unglazed porcelain, digital components, LED light, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, 3D printed TPU filament, vintage furniture.

Mara Superior, “Isolation Creation”, 2020, English porcelain, cobalt oxide, gold luster, glaze, 12.75 x 16.5 x 1.25″

Mara Superior, “Shelter in Place”, 2020, English porcelain, cobalt oxide, gold luster, glaze, 7.5 x 9.5 x .75″

Mara Superior, “A Pair of Seeing Eyes”, 2020, English porcelain, ceramic oxides, gold luster, glaze, 4 x 18 x .75″

Mara Superior, “Only One Planet Earth”, 2019, high-fired porcelain, ceramic oxides, underglaze, glaze, gold leaf, 16 x 16 x 1.5”.

Tricia Zimic, “Tiger Trade” & “Greed”, 2016-2018, installation view.

Tricia Zimic, “Greed”, 2016, porcelain and glaze, 9 x 12.5 x 8″.

Tricia Zimic, “Diligence/Kintsugi”, 2021, porcelain, graphite, 15.5″ x 11.5″ x 11.5″

2020 | NATURE/NURTURE

1315 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams
March 4 – June 27, 2020

Ferrin Contemporary is pleased to present Nature/Nurture, a group exhibition of twelve contemporary female artists invited to explore the influence of gender and its impact on their practice.

This timely exhibition explores these ideas that range from direct interpretations of the natural world to more abstract notions, such as the construction of gender and the endowed role of women within their personal and professional careers. Works in clay range in form from individual vessels to composed still lifes and figural and abstract sculpture.

Gallery director Leslie Ferrin chose a group of twelve female artists whose works and careers provide a range of diverse perspectives related to age, cultural identity and work being done in contemporary ceramics. Considering the impact that the #MeToo movement is having on all professions, Ferrin asked the artists to pause and reflect on the role gender plays in their artistic practice and to consider the nurturing experiences that have shaped them.

Ferrin writes, “A renewed awareness and galvanizing commitment for change is surging through American cultural and academic institutions, organizations and businesses of every sort, exposing the crying need for structural change; specifically, the advancement of equality for artists of all genders and elimination of sexual harassment, wage discrimination and other forms of sexism that continue to affect the lives of women, transgender and non-binary individuals. As part of the movement to reverse and rebalance with new priorities and opening doors, it is crucial to offer opportunities to artists who have been historically marginalized.”

Nature assigned these artists, who identify as female, on a given path, whereas nurture is an accumulation of experiences, influences and impact with both positive and negative results on personal and professional lives. Seen as a whole, this group of twelve women artists who live and work throughout the USA, is representative of the rising tide of professional opportunities for women artists. While significant earnings and advancement gaps remain, a course correction is underway through the increasing number of gender and culturally specific exhibitions. As priorities shift for museum collections, educational public programming and private collectors, these efforts to course-correct are bringing recognition to artists previously overlooked and undervalued and to undocumented legacies. Nature/Nurture seeks to contribute to and further this recognition.

Inspired by the important work of Judith Butler and Helen Longino, the artists in the show were invited to explore the influence of ‘Nature/Nurture’ within their practice. The work ranges from more direct interpretations of the natural world, to more abstract notions, such as the construction of gender, and endowed role of women.

“Possibility is not a luxury; it is as crucial as bread.”
― Judith Butler, Undoing Gender, 2004