Opening Reception
Friday, February 6, 5:30 – 8:00 PM
The evening will also feature the opening of one day, late in the afternoon. . . in the Front Gallery and Nourish in the Artist Hall. Current resident artists’ studios will be open to the public.Related Programming for Dining and Discourse
Join HCCC for a series of three events designed to spark discussion surrounding craft, food, and the dining experience. All events take place at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and are free and open to the public.HANDS-ON HOUSTON
The Art of the Cup: Origami & Tea Sampling
Saturday March 7, 11:00 – 3:00 PMPanel Discussion
Featuring Corey Ackelmire, Clark Kellogg,
Robbie Lobell, and Studio WAC
Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 PMOpulence and Excess Lecture
by Christine Gervais, Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and
Rienzi at the Museum of Fines Arts, Houston
Thursday, April 9, 6:30 PMDining and Discourse aims to generate discussion about the historical and contemporary relationships between craft and dining. Visitors are welcome to participate in the discussion through related programming and by visiting the exhibition’s Tumblr blog.
With the demand for locally sourced goods and handmade products on the rise, terms like handcrafted, craftsmanship, and artisanal are household words in the food industry and marketplace. Art-and-food-fusion events are increasingly prevalent, while craft, in this arena, denotes customized products and services. In response to these trends and recent scholarship, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) presents Dining and Discourse: A Discussion in Three Courses, an exhibition that looks critically at the intrinsic relationship between craft and dining. The exhibition features 26 emerging and mid-career artists working in wood, glass, ceramics, fiber, metal, and mixed media. Curated by HCCC Curatorial Fellow, Kathryn Hall, the show challenges contemporary notions of functionality, status, and aesthetics by moving beyond the presentation of the beautifully set dinner table to spark discussion about the past, present and future of craft. Organized into three dining-room vignettes—Role Play, Hunter-Gatherer, and Opulence and Excess—Dining and Discourse reveals new flavors within the age-old partnership of craft and food, as contemporary makers find inspiration in the dining experience.
Role Play addresses the formal concerns of dining-room furniture, utensils, and wares through material, line, color, and form. The artists in this vignette bring a new sense of purpose and identity to the dinner table, calling attention to the social and practical aspects of sharing a meal. Inspired by Le Corbusier’s modern design principles, Studio WAC’s Obus Lofts’ Dining Table presents a creative solution to hosting a small dinner party. Designed for five people, the layout of the table breaks up formal seating arrangements to promote conversation and social interaction. With two corners of the top bending towards the floor, the piece’s asymmetrical design confronts the functional boundaries of dining-room furniture.
Hunter-Gatherer recognizes the growing presence in popular culture of the self-sufficient, resourceful, and environmentally conscious mindset—a modern adaptation of the survivalist. Through the lens of contemporary craft media, this vignette considers the topic of sustainability in craft and food, as well as the traditional display of man’s dominion over nature. For instance, with a handle made from pig bone and copper, Seth Gould’s Non Si Butta Via Niente meat cleaver is a stunning embodiment of the environmental mantra, “Do not throw anything away.”
In contrast to the first two vignettes, Opulence and Excess exhibits a playful explosion of color, ornamentation, and material exploration. Historically, commissioned wares and dining-room furniture asserted the power, status, and personal beliefs of their patrons through the use of precious materials, embellishment, and technical execution. However, as tastes have evolved, old aristocratic styles that were once revered—like the Baroque—have become kitsch in mainstream culture. Borrowing from the history of decorative arts patronage, the artists in this vignette have restored value to period styles by adapting them to a contemporary context. For instance, Nanda Soderberg showcases his highbrow-meets-lowbrow style with handmade glassware. The artist transforms recycled beer bottles into Venetian-style goblets and tumblers, adorned with a touch of gold leaf.
Above all, Dining and Discourse aims to generate discussion about the historical and contemporary relationships between craft and dining. Visitors are welcome to participate in the discussion through related programming and by visiting the exhibition’s Tumblr blog.
Dining and Discourse Featured Artists
Role Play
Corey Ackelmire
Nicholas Bivins
Sam Chung
Susan Dwyer
Haand
Danny Kamerath
Studio WAC
Grace Zuniga
Hunter-Gatherer
Jessica Broad
Chris Campbell
Margaret Dorfman
Seth Gould
Clark Kellogg
Robbie Lobell
Adrien Segal
Smith Shop
Opulence and Excess
Margaret Bohls
Blair Clemo
Shari Mendelson
Sarah Rebekah Byrd Mizer
Jaydan Moore
Susan O’Brien
Lisa Orr
Ellie Richards
Tom Shields
Nanda Soderberg
Above Images: (1) Corey Ackelmire, “Cocktail Set,” 2013. Sterling silver. Photo by Abe Shaw. (2) Sam Chung, “Place/Setting, Centerpiece,” 2011. Porcelain, China paint. Photo by the artist. (3) Sam Chung, Place/Setting, Centerpiece” (detail), 2011. Porcelain, China paint. Photo by the artist. (4) Danny Kamerath, “Evelyn 3,” 2012. Cherry. Photo by the artist. (5) Studio WAC, “Obus Lofts’ Dining Table (OLDT-AP-1),” 2011. Laminated birch plywood, pigmented conversion varnish, powder-coated steel. Photo by Scott Cartwright. (6) “Studio WAC, “Obus Lofts’ Dining Table (OLDT-AP-1)” (view 2), 2011. Laminated birch plywood, pigmented conversion varnish, powder-coated steel. Photo by Scott Cartwright. (7) Seth Gould, “Non Si Butta Via Niente,” 2012. Iron, tool steel, fine silver, brass, copper, pig bone. Photo by the artist. (8) Seth Gould, “Non Si Butta Via Niente” (detail), 2012. Iron, tool steel, fine silver, brass, copper, pig bone. Photo by the artist. (9) Robbie Lobell, “Oval Roasters,” 2014. High fire flameware. Photo by the artist. (10) Robbie Lobell, “Paella on the Grill,” 2010. High fire flameware. Photo by Gina Burrill. (11) Adrien Segal, “Trends in Water Use,” 2011. Plywood, steel. Photo by Daniel Lorenze. (12) Adrien Segal, “Trends in Water Use” (detail), 2011. Plywood, steel. Photo by Daniel Lorenze. (13) Smith Shop, “Serving Spoon Set,” 2014. Steel, copper. Photo by Smith Shop. (14) Shari Mendelson, “Green Vessel with Long Neck,” 2012. Plastic, hot glue, acrylic polymer. Photo by the artist. (15) Nanda Soderberg, “Gold Leaf Beer Bottle Tumblers,” 2012. Recycled bottle, gold leaf. Photo by the artist.
