membership / artist member

David Cushway

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My work is underpinned by a fascination with clay as a medium; the history of clay use is the history of humanity; it is the material that binds us to the earth that we inhabit. The constant cycle of life and death is a recurring theme within my practice, and the use of my own body within a figurative narrative reflects this.

My practice encompasses craft, film/video, sculpture and installation. Making begins with a concept and work is created in response to that, an approach that provides a counterpoint to ceramic object making, as Anthony Shapland describes in the accompanying essay for my first major solo show, Primary Object,

‘David Cushway uses clay as a medium for expression rather than a sculptural material. Often shunning traditional methods, he pushes the boundaries of ceramics by exploring a variety of forms and techniques using his knowledge of the physical properties of clay, whilst making particular reference to its historical role.’

My work, in essence, uses the most fundamental material, clay, to explore the fundamentals of the human condition Through the use of the body and examination of the artefact, the universal is explored through the personal. My practice is often based on personal experiences and beliefs and works to communicate the collective human experience.

‘Their explorations challenge the compartmentalisation of genres and resist either/or classification of art or craft, sculpture or ornament. This is particularly true of David Cushway, whose conceptual approach unsettles conventional definitions of both ceramics and figuration.’

As Dr Jo Dahn describes above, my work transcends what can be described as traditional working practice within the current ceramic discourse. I constantly seek to represent ideas and concepts using clay as a material in new and challenging formats.

My practice operates in the arenas between art and craft and is often a direct comment upon the difference and indeed common ground between the two.

- David Cushway, 2009

http://www.axisweb.org/ofSARF.aspx?SELECTIONID=17778

• Mermaid and Monster

  16th September — 29th January 2009
  Contemporary Art Society 11 — 15 Emerald Street, London. WC1N 3QL