CLAUDE JONES / IN STUDIO WITH THE ARTIST

Claude Jones takes aim at man's exploitation of animals through her intentionally subversive art. 

Known for her poignant and childlike collages and drawings and potent mixed media sculptures, Claude Jones has undertaken specialist international study programs and associated residencies to develop her ceramic skills for her current exhibition, Broken, on show at Artereal Gallery throughout the month of November. 

The medium is naturally suited to this body of work, which takes aim at the broken bodies and trust of man's deceitful relationship with animals.  

In the lead up to her exhibition, Claude Jones documented her creative practice, experimentation with ceramics and her works in progress through this intimate series of in-studio photographs, taken during her recent residency in Mexico and more recently, at Sydney College of the Arts.

Claude Jones' solo exhibition, Broken, is now on at Artereal Gallery until Saturday 29 November 2014.
 

Endangered species (pictured above as a work in progress) is a cluster of ceramic, pale, embryonic, cloned and mutant hybrid creatures that huddle together seemingly for protection. They are drawn from species that are introduced; a mix of fox, deer and rabbit. All are animals that are hunted or 'culled' in Australia, seen as pests for both flora and fauna, and as the artist notes, "a threat to the illusive construct of balanced ecology. - Barbara Dowse, Curator

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CLAUDE JONES / BROKEN

This November, Artereal Gallery will present a new exhibition by Claude Jones. Entitled Broken, the exhibition showcases the artist’s widening oeuvre, working in ceramics in addition to her acclaimed prints, continuing her preoccupation with animal rights and the role human intervention plays in animal biology. 

“My practice is motivated by a strong conviction in the need to re-assess our relationship with other animals – to consider their sentience and to approach more ethical ways of co-existing with them,” said Jones. 

Despite the challenging and often distressing themes that inform her work, at first glance they appear innocent, playful and reminiscent of storybook illustrations. The delicacy of drawing, fragility of the ceramic material, use of soft colour and fairytale-like guise of the work acts as a potent yet grim reminder of the impact of man’s hypocrisy. 

“Our human-centric perspective of the animal world positions rabbits, for example, as both cuddly companion animals but also as meat and fur “products”. We support an industry that raises millions of pets that are accepted members of families yet trap, cage, torture and kill billions of animals annually for food. My work seeks to expose such obvious contradictions in the face of widespread, culturally ingrained acceptance of this division” she said. 

New Zealand born Jones has traveled widely, studying, teaching and exhibiting around Australia and abroad. Her works are represented in numerous public and private collections including Artbank, The Art Gallery of New South Wales and The Rhode Island School of Design Museum in the U.S.A. 

Broken will be on show at Artereal for the month of November, beginning Wednesday 5 and running until Saturday 29 November 2014. 

The above video shares a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this latest body of work. Special thanks to Naomi Doras for filming and producing this video.