Malory Tate’s show ‘Être Fleur Bleue’ was taken down on Thursday evening. Just before that we were invited to her talk about the show and for a walk through the gallery.
Malory is firmly committed to her aesthetic which is based on all things Baroque and Rococo, and she began her slide show with images of over-the-top, gold-embellished furnishings, especially those seen in the Palace of Versailles. She delights in the decoration of items used by the leisure class and celebrates old-fashioned pursuits such as letter-writing, needlework and flower arranging.
One of her particular pleasures was finding the painting of The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse which is housed in Tate Britain gallery. With her flaming red hair she could be a modern incarnation of the ill-fated woman! Named Malory in homage to Sir Thomas Malory who wrote ‘Morte d’Arthur’, the tales of King Arthur in 1469, and with the surname Tate, it exemplifies her dedication to all things PreRaphaelite. My father would have loved her work!
After her talk Malory wanted to show us each of her special creations, now that they needn’t be stuck down and have lids attached for the duration of the show. She showed us secret compartments for love letters in the writing box, how drawers open and lids lift off flower bricks for cleaning. It gave her listeners a clear idea of the challenges of working in clay (some porcelain). All are white, with the occasional surprise of royal blue underneath or inside – to reference traditional blue and white ware in her own way.
I shall have a further opportunity of seeing the intricacies of the pieces she has made when she comes here one day soon to use my photo booth. Now that her one-year ceramics residency in Port Moody Arts Centre is almost over she and George will relocate to England in September where I hope she quickly finds a new studio to continue making her focussed, NSCAD-inspired work. Good luck Malory.
