Maker and matter converge in Sam Gold’s blue-hued works

Sam Gold is an accomplished mid-career ceramicist known for their pinch-style clay sculptures and hanging works. Their current exhibition, The Marrow of the Swollen River, features a selection of four wall-based works, created during a residency with the South Australian Museum. Throughout this residency, Gold was inspired by conversations with mineralogist and curator Ben McHenry.

The exhibition at Hugo Michell Gallery comprises minimal, ordered compositions which Gold says “elevate and highlight the expanse of ceramics as a living, building, strong yet fragile material”.

Gold explains that their practice is rooted in sculpture, informed by ceramic methodologies, and enriched by training in furniture-making and art therapy.

“This exhibition is a continuation of my practice, yet it marks a significant milestone in my technical advancements, particularly with the introduction of self-developed glazes.”

These glazes, characterised by deep and vibrant blues, create a clear visual link between the artist’s work and their time with the SA Museum’s colourful mineral collection.

Gold’s work navigates the many ways that forms occupy and respond to space, celebrating the expansive nature of, and parallels between, ceramics and human identity.

“The exhibition offers a deeper exploration of my conceptual framework, celebrating queer communities, non-binary existence, and the symbiotic relationship between material and maker,” they explain.

Themes of fluidity and non-binary existence are reflected back to viewers through the organic shapes pressed directly into the artworks.

On entering the gallery space, you are immediately met with hues of cobalt blue. Layered glazes build on the artist’s themes and emphasise the intricate relationship between maker and material. Each work serves as a tactile reflection of Gold’s psychological and emotional experiences, elevating conversations around the fluidity of identity and human existence.

Sam Gold, Muscles holding bones (detail), 2024, porcelain and glaze, 64 x 69 x 11 cm. Photo: Connor Patterson, courtesy the artist and Hugo Michell Gallery

In discussing their intentions for the show, Gold expresses a profound “desire to celebrate queer communities and non-binary existence”. They articulate this exhibition as an offering, or extension, of their practice that is “inspired by water, fluidity, and androgynous forms that blur boundaries”.

To bring their visions to life, Gold says they employed a range of technical processes, including press molding, wheel-thrown forms, coiling, hand-building and slab rolling.

It is clear that their research into the mineral collection at SAM has infused their practice with fresh perspectives, inspiring a shift in the artist’s colour palette, moving from the earthy tones of terracotta and stoneware to lively blues. These blues, the product of self-developed glazes, enhance the exploration of colour, form and shadow, complementing the layered conceptual framework of their work.

Sam Gold, The restless tension between both poles and how we harmonise them into something beautiful, 2024, porcelain and glaze, 80 x 262 x 10 cm. Photo: Connor Patterson

Experimentation with light, shadow and hue is a notable evolution in Gold’s work, reflecting a painterly influence drawn from their experiences studying a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts. The physical depth, valleys and ridges of the individual pieces allow the works to produce intriguing patches of deep shadow and reflected light.

The Marrow of the Swollen River is a compelling exhibition that invites viewers to engage with the complexities of identity, materiality, and the nuanced layers of experience embedded within Gold’s work. Through this exhibition, the artist not only showcases their technical development but also fosters a dialogue around queerness and the fluidity of forms, inviting us all to reflect on the intricate tapestry of our identities.

Sam Gold, The Marrow of the Swollen River, is at Hugo Michell Gallery until November 9.

Brooke Ferguson, an emerging visual artist and arts worker, is the 6th recipient of the Helpmann Academy InReview Mentorship. She is working with experienced visual arts writer Jane Llewellyn to write a series of articles for publication in InReview.