Benjamin Oswald: The Shape of Absence

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Benjamin Oswald, "Cut Vessels," 2023

Courtesy of the Artist.

Opening Reception on Friday September 22, 7 – 9 p.m.

The ceramic vessel is an ancient form, and one that has taught us a lot about ourselves due to the archaeological record it provides. The timelessness of the vessel is also echoed in the method of its making on a wheel. For millennia, potters have been throwing vessels, fingers expertly reaching down into the circling damp earth to give rise to form. But what, exactly, is contained within the space enclosed by that clay as it infinitely spirals upward? What could become visible when gazing into that void?

What such a vessel contains is a core fascination of artist, Benjamin Oswald. An accomplished local ceramicist, Oswald makes use of his background in the sciences to approach these questions of form and absence through a framework of ‘thinking tools.’ The body of minimal vessels in this exhibition demonstrates the artist’s rigorous approach to engaging ideas of form and formlessness, presence and absence through clay. With this meticulous engagement with his materials, Oswald’s ceramic works hold us in a sublime encounter with unanswerable questions of our existence.

Artist Talk: November 10th 1pm to 2pm

Hear from Benjamin Oswald about the development of his artistic practice, and what he was exploring in the creation of new works found in his new solo exhibition, The Shape of Absence. In this talk, Oswald will provide insight into the technical skill behind his vessels, and how his background in the sciences shapes the way his ceramic-based exploration of existential inquiry.

This artist talk will be held in the Roundhouse Event Space 11-159