Ghada Amer Broken Dreams, 2014 Ceramic Work: 34.3 x 50.8 x 30.5 cm
Ghada Amer, best known for her iconic embroidered paintings on canvas, has recently been working in clay. Ceramics are a departure for Amer and yet a natural extension of her previous works. Clay appeals to Amer for some of the same reasons working with thread originally did.“The history of painting was invented by men,” Amer states “so I wanted to work with a medium that was more associated with women”. The variety of clays and kilns, the colours, the varied slips and glazes, the drying process all required experimentation. As with her paintings Amer uses images from pornography to tackle the traditionally oppositional dichotomies of feminine vs. masculine, art vs. craft, and East vs. West. In her ceramic works figures in various states of ecstasy or invitation are animated on these forms shaped by hand. Figures are also depicted on both sides of these works that fold onto themselves much like clay blankets.
"I find ceramics are like drawings. It is the base for sculpture. I am discovering a love for the medium, and this is very surprising to me, because painting is my first love. I thought I would never be able to have a second lover."
- Ghada Amer
