Lost and found

摘要

My first introduction to Owen Quinlan's work was through his series of stoneware fired wall pieces, which he has exhibited in grids of nine over the last few years, and which I included in two exhibitions in 2014. The latter, entitled Interplay, explored the juxtaposition of objects and their relationship to each other. Collectively these wall-mounted works possessed an intriguing dynamic, but individually they also had a story to tell - and there were many stories. Initially working very quickly, Quinlan talked then about throwing up to 100 pieces at a time, firing the kiln several times a week, continuously reviewing images, firing logs and carefully collecting data. It was a process of information gathering resulting in an experiential, yet controlled, understanding of material and process.