Christopher Barker’s Artist Statement
My interest in the earth sciences, physics and biology has led me to spending time looking at photos of deep space or microscopy shots of suspended biological specimens such as viruses, insect wings and neuron networks. When we focus our lens way in or way out, there is an illusion that objects could be near and miniscule or far and massive, and can escape the apparent forces of gravity. When capturing a view of elements suspended in transparent fluid or star dust scattered in the vacuum of space, the emptiness hides all frames of reference and evokes a powerful sense of disconnect and freedom.
While studying the artwork of Terry Winters, Jasper Johns and Brice Marden, I found myself falling into the vacuums present in their abstracted drawings and paintings. I have worked to integrate these influences onto a ceramic surface, to pull the view beyond the solid, hard exterior and into the realm and space created by my marks.
I make wheel thrown stoneware vessels ranging from small cups to large vases. They have a soft white or glassy gray finish with detail drawn in black and white. While surfacing my pieces, I work with one or multiple layers of fine-line stain drawings, wax resist and slip inlay designs. I explore a sense of depth and spatiality. An atmosphere may be created by subtle changes in line weight or size, making a two-dimensional line have life and the illusion of occupying three-dimensional space. I want my surface designs to exhibit a celestial, weightless presence of floating and suspension.
To pull attention to the surface designs I throw simple sharp vessels. I start with a plain cylinder and then manipulate the form. When I trim away clay to uncover the final form, I explore the way my pieces interact with gravity. I remove clay so my forms are more noticeably lightweight. I also change the foot of some pieces to levitate them, so they hover, while I give others an unstable bottom that allows them to move and rotate freely.