Arundel Contemporary is pleased to present Archetypes, bringing together the works of two London-based artists, Argentinian mixed-media artist Gustavo Ortiz, and American contemporary porcelain and stoneware ceramicist Luke Bishop.
Influenced by colonial art and indigenous practices, Gustavo’s works convey a primitive mental image seemingly inherited from our earliest ancestors, through a fusion of both European and South American legacies. His universe is inhabited by disproportionate figures placed in condensed fantastical settings, retaining a decorative quality with a curious resonance of native arts.
Luke Bishop’s contemporary stoneware, on the other hand, is a study in contrasts. His pieces combine modern, refined silhouettes with uneven, organic edges and textures, even as the unusual positioning of handles and spouts invokes the opposing attitudes of the ego and the unconscious, creating an unresolved tension between the apparent functionality of his pieces, yet simultaneously defying utility.
Gustavo’s bright, imaginative and enigmatic works contrast with Luke’s pieces invoking modernity, whilst at the same time hinting at a mysterious archaeological past.