Tatevik Gasparyan: Waves of Confluence at Atticus Arts Gallery, Bath
Written by Tom Denman
19.08.2023
Nestled in the heart of Bath, the Atticus Arts Gallery has become the canvas for Tatevik Gasparyan's latest ceramic narrative, an installation that resonates with profound thematic undertones and masterful craftsmanship. Titled Waves of Confluence, the exhibition sees Gasparyan continue to explore the rich tapestry of cultural and historical dialogues through her distinctive ceramic forms.
Educated at St. Petersburg's Stieglitz Academy, Gasparyan spent six years honing her skills in ceramic execution technology. Each piece in this installation is meticulously handcrafted, a testament to her dedication and skillful embrace of both archaic and contemporary ceramic techniques. Gasparyan's work is renowned for its conceptual depth and unmistakable aesthetic, characterised by the strategic arrangement of ceramics that encode specific messages.
Tatevik Gasparyan. Waves of Confluence.
Photo credit: Courtesy Atticus Arts Gallery
The current installation at Atticus Arts Gallery is a striking exploration of Western values as perceived through Gasparyan's unique lens. Waves of Confluence features two parallel rows of ceramic vessels in stark black and white, challenging and reflecting upon the West's achievements in equality and decolonisation—not only in historical contexts but also in contemporary gender discourse. The contrast of black and white does not blend into a uniform grey; instead, it starkly delineates the ongoing struggles and achievements within these societal goals.
Gasparyan’s choice of modern vase designs communicates effectively with a Western audience, employing a language of clean lines and familiar forms that resonate well within the realm of contemporary home design. This aesthetic decision underscores her ability to bridge the gap between the functional and the symbolic, making her work both accessible and profound.
One of the most captivating aspects of the installation is its site-specific design. Arranged to mimic the form of a wave at the front of the installation, the vessels not only represent the island’s surrounding waters but also invoke textures reminiscent of the underwater world—such as shells and seaweed. This choice beautifully ties the installation to its geographical context while enhancing the thematic exploration of nature and culture’s fluid boundaries.
The setting of the exhibition in one of the gallery's larger halls—chosen by Gasparyan herself after viewing the venue's potential—features a cracked concrete floor that accentuates the insularity and rawness of the installation. This backdrop serves as a powerful contrast to the delicate yet bold forms of her ceramics, highlighting the isolation and connectivity themes inherent in the installation.
A striking addition to the exhibition is a white ceramic panel mounted on the wall, shaped akin to a painting but embodying the texture and relief reminiscent of historical bas-reliefs that once depicted the Three Graces or biblical scenes. In Gasparyan's interpretation, this panel represents contemporary abstraction, a nod to the evolution of artistic expression from classical to contemporary narratives within the Western aesthetic canon.
Waves of Confluence is not merely an exhibition; it is a dialogue—between the artist and her environment, between history and the present, and between the viewer and the viewed. As the exhibition runs at the Atticus Arts Gallery, it invites audiences to navigate the depths of Tatevik Gasparyan’s ceramic seas, exploring the ebbs and flows of cultural confluence and the resonant beauty of crafted clay.
The exhibition ‘Waves of Confluence’ by Tatevik Gasparyan opened on 18 August 2023 and will close on 23 September 2023, at Atticus Arts Gallery, located at 11a Queen Street, Bath.
Tom Denman, residing in London, is a distinguished freelance art critic whose perceptive articles have featured in eminent publications such as Art Journal, ART PAPERS, ArtReview, Art Monthly, Burlington Contemporary, e-flux, Flash Art, Ocula, and Studio International. He earned his PhD in Italian Studies from the University of Reading, focusing his research on Caravaggio and the noble-intellectual milieu of seventeenth-century Naples. Presently, his critiques primarily explore the subtleties and emerging trends within contemporary art.