BACK ROOM
JOEY WATSON | Contact High: Utilitarian Objects for a Special Time and Place
January 12 - February 23, 2018
In the Back Room, Joey Watson will present a selection of ceramic-based, sculptural objects suffused with vibrant color and animated forms and functionality. Fascinated with the belief of supernaturally imbued objects bringing about transformation through ceremonial use and rigorous procedure, Watson’s work references ritual implements and how they are utilized in specific contexts. In the creation and development of his work, Watson employs several state-of-the-art techniques including 3D rendering software, CNC milling, 3D printing, computerized gas kilns and an electroencephalograph (EEG).
Joey Watson received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kansas City Art Institute in 2014. He has studied at the International Ceramic Studio in Kecskemet, Hungary, as well as at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. His work has been showcased in several galleries and venues across the US including: Cerbera Gallery (Kansas City, MO), The Society of Arts and Crafts (Boston, MA), The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, MO), Tusk (Chicago), 99c Plus Gallery (Brooklyn, NY), Eutectic Gallery (Portland, OR) and The Clay Studio (Philadelphia, PA). Watson is the 2014 recipient of the Regina Brown Fellowship for research of ritual artifacts in NYC, awarded by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).