MÄRTEN MEDBO: OH, I DIDN’T KNOW

November 23, 2008–March 29, 2009

The work of Swedish artist Märten Medbo investigates intrapersonal relationships through his ceramic sculptures of monkeys and other creatures. His solo exhibition, Oh, I Didn’t Know, was created in the Arts Center’s Arts/Industry Residency Program in Kohler Co.’s Pottery. The exhibition is comprised of two series of slip-cast vitreous china works. School Yard Monkeys hug, tease, and lean on each other in a variety of ways that symbolize how we relate to each other and the community. Untitled features three seemingly soft and flaccid seal-like creatures that gradually disintegrate into many parts, alluding to psychological or emotional scars that we carry from our interactions with others or how our personal experiences build us up or break us down. Both series investigate the consequences of how we affect, influence, and inform one another. Märten created Oh, I Didn’t Know by sewing original stuffed toy monkeys and creatures, from which molds were made. Slip (liquid clay) was poured into the molds and allowed to sit for a period of time. The excess slip was poured off, and a shell of the object remained. After the object dried, the surfaces were sprayed with liquid slip over glaze to achieve a “flocked” aesthetic.