Kent State University School of Art Collection and Galleries presents the annual Kent State National Ceramics Invitational, on view at the KSU Downtown Gallery from February 21 through March 23, 2019.  The exhibition was curated by Christina A. West and features artists Soojin Choi, Gabrielle Graber, Andrew Stansbury, and Michelle Laxalt.  An opening reception will take place on Friday, February 22 from 5-7 p.m.  Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.  Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

“By choosing the theme of figuration for the Ceramics National this year, KSU is tapping into one of the oldest traditions in ceramics; for centuries, humans have exhibited a drive to translate their form into materials that can approximate their likeness. And clay, with its metaphors for, and similarities to, the body is an apt material for the job. The artists I selected for this year’s exhibition each make compelling work that uses ceramics and the human form to speak to the complexity and vulnerability inherent to our embodied experience,” said the curator, Atlanta-based sculptor, Christina West.