Susannah Montague, “Crown of Swans,” 2019
ceramic, glaze, pearl lustre and 22k gold,34.5” x 19” x 10” (photo by Lillie Louise Photography; courtesy of Susannah Montague and Newzones, Calgary)
Ceramic artist Susannah Montague whips up sugary confections with elaborate toppings of curlicues and cherubs, flowers and frou-frous, swans and seashells, plus all other manner of other precious whimsies. Decorative, excessive and absolutely delightful, her sculptures are both visual marvels and stellar displays of technical virtuosity. But their appeal is also linked, in part, to her exploration of darker themes from childhood stories and nightmares.
Crown of Swans, part of a summer group show on view until Aug. 24 at the Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art in Calgary, is a case in point. Montague's stated aim is to feminize the masculine imagery of the skull (think biker tattoos and rock ’n’ roll T-shirts) within a contemporary vanitas that reminds us to seize the day.
The result is a rococo skull made of flowers slipping past their prime. It's decked out with a ruff collar that might be the pleasure of Queen Elizabeth I, and two glinting, yet almost papery horns that resemble tracheas. The final touch is a ring of swans-a-swimming, all bearing wee regal crowns that match their gilded eyes and beaks.
Susannah Montague, “Crown of Swans” (detail), 2019
ceramic, glaze, pearl lustre and 22k gold,34.5” x 19” x 10” (photo by Lillie Louise Photography; courtesy of Susannah Montague and Newzones, Calgary)
Little wonder, then, to learn that Montague grew up playing with Dresden dolls and other antiques. “I think that I, as a child, imagined exploring the narratives in these porcelain figurines that we had a lot of, and still have,” she says. “My work is very much steeped in history.”
Montague went on to Vancouver's Emily Carr University of Art and Design, graduating in 1996, and then headed to Toronto's OCAD University, where she studied figurative sculpture and anatomy.
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Susannah Montague, “Out of My Head II,” 2018
ceramic, glaze, gold lustre and decals,15” x 8” x 8” (photo by Lillie Louise Photography; courtesy of Susannah Montague and Newzones, Calgary)
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Susannah Montague, “Out of My Head II” (detail), 2018
ceramic, glaze, gold lustre and decals,15” x 8” x 8” (photo by Lillie Louise Photography; courtesy of Susannah Montague and Newzones, Calgary)
Her recent works share a common visual vernacular, but vary thematically. Out of My Head II, for instance, evokes the whirling dervish of contemporary overwhelm that many of us feel. Here a billow of flowers, insects and myriad other objects buzzes the head of a ceramic doll. It’s like Carmen Miranda on acid.
"I have always done work that is a bit uneasy," says Montague, who is based on Bowen Island, near Vancouver. "I try to make work that is somehow beautiful, but also a little bit strange. Even a mistake is a success if I can learn something new. When a piece is riddled with cracks and imperfections, they can become the creative catalysts that can change my intention and aspect over time."
Making such work is demanding. When Montague is in production mode, she works intensively for four or five days in her studio, which reportedly resembles an 18th-century cabinet of curiosities. Clay dries quickly and her tiny forms – crafted with a mix of age-old techniques, including hand building, press molds and slip casting – are fragile.
Montague continues to expand her technical range. Lately, she has experimented by sinking sculptures in lobster and crab traps, waiting for barnacles to encrust them. For her, this collaboration with nature is a way of releasing control. She’s yet to show that work, but I, for one, can hardly wait. ■
Susannah Montague’s work is part of the G’ddy Up! group show on view at the Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art in Calgary from July 6 to Aug. 24, 2019.
