Pippin Drysdale, The Kimberley Series, 2008, stain glazed, kiln fired, incised porcelain, dimensions variable.
ALISON BROWN, GREG CROWE, PIPPIN DRYSDALE, BERNARD KERR, WARRICK PALMATEER AND GARRY ZECK
The Clay Path is a reflective and celebratory exhibition honouring the enduring contributions of six of Western Australia's most respected ceramic practitioners. Presented in complement to the WEDGE 2025: Australian Ceramic Triennale program, this collection showcases the work of Alison Brown, Greg Crowe, Pippin Drysdale, Bernard Kerr, Warrick Palmateer, and Garry Zeck, all influential figures in the clay craft whose dedication to the practice has shaped the identity of ceramics across our State, as well as internationally.
The Clay Path is an exploration of material, memory, and land. The physical properties of clay - drawn from the earth, shaped by hand, and forged in fire - become metaphors for the artists' own creative journeys. The exhibition's title serves as both literal and symbolic: a pathway made of and through clay, reflecting the evolving landscape of ceramic practice in WA.
Importantly, this exhibition highlights the role of public collections and cultural institutions in preserving artistic legacy. By revisiting works held in the City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring Collections, The Clay Path underscores the importance of collections and acquisitions, not only in safeguarding artworks for posterity but also in documenting the artistic and cultural shifts that have defined a place and its people.
The Clay Path honours the legacy and progression of Western Australian ceramics, and celebrates some of the artists who have help define it whilst, acknowledging where we have been and imagining where we may yet go.
