Project Tag: Russell Biles Current

RUSSELL BILES

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BIO

ABOUT

American, b. 1959
lives and works in Greeneville, SC

A self-described “son of the South,” Russell Biles was born, raised, and still lives in the southern U.S. He remembers playing around with clay at a young age, making animals and monsters, but it was not until he entered college to study architecture that he was re-introduced to art and ultimately to ceramics. Since his graduation Biles has been a studio artist in Greenville, SC, working in sculptural forms that range from large totems reminiscent of Northwestern Indian work to small, carefully crafted, colorful porcelain figures. He is best known for the latter work which confronts the direction in which society is moving and finds it severely lacking. Biles uses such American icons as the Cleavers and the Cartwrights as well as contemporary newsmakers to satirize social, religious, and political issues and to engage the viewer in the discussion. Biles employs irony and satire in his work and believes that the humor inherent in satire tempers the  critique and hopefully produces a thoughtful reaction rather than an automatic rejection. As important to Biles as the message is the craftsmanship of his work, the quality that gives the work integrity and cements his position as a noted artist whose work is included in a number of both private and public collections.

ON HIS WORK IN OUR AMERICA/WHOSE AMERICA?

As a child growing up in the 60’s I enjoyed watching a TV show called The Rifleman. Chuck Conners, the ‘Rifleman’, justly dispatched 120 bad guys during the show’s run. As an adult I still enjoy watching “The Rifleman” gun em down but no longer feel that sense of Freedom and Security once enforced by the ‘magical gun’.

Today I realize that our Country’s Freedom and Security have actually come from the end of a gun and those willing to use this gun in our defense- My concern and motivation for creating Canceled is my fear that today’s and tomorrow’s generations will fail to accept this reality. Thus compromising  our Country’s Freedom and Security.

– Russel Biles, 2022

OUR AMERICA/WHOSE AMERICA?

2022 | Group Exhibition at Ferrin Contemporary | North Adams, MA

Our America/Whose America? Is a “call and response” exhibition between contemporary artists and historic ceramic objects.

View the exhibition page HERE  & View the historic collection HERE

HUMOR IN CRAFT

2012 | Group Exhibition organized by the Society for Contemporary Craft

July 20, 2012—October 27, 2012

Curated by artist and author Brigitte Martin and organized by the Society for Contemporary Craft, Humor in Craft presents 33 highly ironic, political, sarcastic, and just plain amusing works by 32 makers from across the US and abroad—and highlighting a diverse range of materials, techniques and artists that might not otherwise be seen—the show challenges viewers to move beyond their own frames of reference when considering approaches to contemporary art. The concept of “funny” can vary widely based on a variety of factors such as social background, personal experiences and values, knowledge of popular culture events, education, national origin, etc. There are overlaps but also differences in humor perception. For the artists in this exhibition, hardly any topic is off-limits, apparently everything can be made fun of. And why not laugh at the human foibles, the banana-peel jokes, and, yes, the politicians?
How else could we stand especially the latter?

View the exhibition page HERE

Additional works may be available to acquire, but not listed here.

If interested in lists of all works and series: Send us a message