The permanent collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery includes a porcelain sculpture by Canadian artist Shary Boyle.
Boyle's work is both technically striking and conceptually subversive. The feminine, soft appearing frills and lace on the figure's dress are disrupted by a dark undertone, conveyed by it's piercing eyes and useless, covered hands.
WAG writes, to describe Boyle's practice, that "she manipulates the historical connotations of her medium, purposely subverting it to voice contemporary issues of feminism, marginalization, and alienation. Grief, anger, loneliness, mischief, and desire inhabit her characters."
Each ceramic piece is beautiful yet frightening, delicate yet powerful, and invites viewers into a strange reality. Boyle explores contemporary issues with a unique voice, the power of which is proven in her significant professional achievements.
