On a trip to the Lowry in Salford, we were met by Artist Aliyah Hussain, who gave us a guided tour of her work in the trio of solo exhibitions Local/National/International.
The exhibitions bring together three female artists who are each working with ceramics in different ways, as well as exploring ideas of femininity and perceptions of gender. As the exhibition title suggests, the artists are each based in different locations and at different stages of their careers, from the local base of the North West to the National and International. Exhibiting alongside artists Renee So and Paoloma Proudfoot, Aliyah developed an installation of sound and ceramics, taking inspiration from the 1967 short story The Sleep of Plants by Anne Richter. In Richter’s writing, a young woman, uncertain of her place in the world and the expectations placed on her by society and family slowly starts to slip out of time, planting herself in the earth before transforming into a plant.
Curving and snaking across dark gallery walls Aliyah’s ceramics recalled the trestles, vines and buds of plant life. Accompanied by a soundscape made by activating or ‘playing’ the ceramic forms themselves, the work felt on the cusp of coming alive. Seeing her work in the gallery, the group recognised processes they had worked on with Aliyah for her Dining Room commission. Identifying what were ‘sprigs moulds’, asking questions about her different stages of production and the choice over glaze colours, the group have had the opportunity to connect with her creative process from– from raw clay to exhibition installation.
The group were also introduced to the other two artist’s works seeing the breadth and possibilities of working with ceramics. It was a brilliant day that filled everyone with enthusiasm for Aliyah’s work and her commission as the project continues.