Marja Vallila
Late Works
September 15th - November 11th 2017
Tops is pleased to present a selection of slip-cast ceramic sculptures from Marja Vallila's last body of work made between 2000 and 2004. Known for her large architectonic metal sculptures, Vallila's exuberant, modestly scaled, and technically virtuosic ceramic works contrast remarkably with her large, severely rugged early work.
Vallila began making these sculptures in 2000 after visiting the Museum of Ceramics in Deruta, Italy. Employing the slip-cast technique most commonly used in decorative art, Vallila formed poly and monochromatic assemblages combining everyday objects found on Canal Street into surprising forms that are at once strange and familiar. Although the sculptures register as playful and spontaneous, the manic and obsessive quality of this work is ultimately more searching than ornamental.
