encapsulations

“Simultaneously embracing as well as thwarting expectations of traditional ceramics, in Molanphy’s work encapsulations he explores the themes of accumulation, repetition, imperfection and enclosure. . . . The cube also has a long historical tradition within art history and Molanphy’s work pays homage to some of the great cube works. He cites sculptor Tony Smith, Suprematist founder Kazimir Malevich and ceramist Masamichi Yoshikawa as influences. In some ways, Molanphy’s cubes resemble six-sided paintings more than sculptures. When in Provence, the artist worked with marbling coloured slip and applying it to the surface of the objects. The resulting patterns suggest a painted, cloud-filled sky. . . . Located in the smaller front window gallery is Molanphy’s most recent work trim. Like carrés encadrés and square cubed, this series is an examination of the themes of repetition and enclosure. Unlike the previous work, Molanphy suffuses the vessels with beauty. Each form echoes an elongated oval. Inspired by pictographs in Horseshoe Canyon, Molanphy describes the shape as a combination between a circle and a square. I think it looks like a perfectly formed, bisected geode, with the interior revealing a powder blue, marbleized sky. . . .” -Colette Copeland, “encapsulations”, Ceramics: Art & Perception #94

2013, Forum Gallery, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX