Wednesday, September 5 @ 5:15 – 6:15p
Birge Hall 145, 430 Lincoln Dr
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Born in Lancaster, Pennslyvania, Jeffrey Clancy is a visual artist, designer and educator whose studio practice is informed by historical and traditional craft theory with a deep understanding of traditional, craft-centric fabrication, practicing centuries-old traditional metalsmithing techniques of hollow forming and fabrication of non-ferrous metals. Clancy undermines the prescribed connotations of utilitarian objects by confronting craft and taking a critical look at the objects of the decorative arts, specifically those within the vernacular of the metalsmith. This work is informed by a rigorous investigation into the duties these objects perform on utilitarian and social platforms, both historically and as reformed through a contemporary perspective.
As a practicing metalsmith I am part of a venerable lineage of smiths who have demonstrated stunning skill and innovative design in the manufacture of treasured utilitarian, ceremonial and decorative metalwares. This is paramount for my work and identity. I am invested in questions about preservation and the acquisition of craft skill. The austerity of utilitarian wares produced by the Roycrofters and the unapologetically indulgent works of Faberge demonstrate the diversity that the skilled and tooled hand can bring to a material like metal; this is both curious and inspiring to me. My work departs from the diverse curiosity that serves as both the physical subject and context. I mine the field’s history, examine and dissect it with uneasy reverence and then re-present it into new objects, images and, always, new questions. Domestic objects like bowls and trays, parts of utilitarian objects such as spouts and handles, and ornamentation are all used as a familiar language; but the work transcends function and often the final object has only a likeness to its source. The work acts as a vestige of another time period, a distant place and a different set of values that now seem anachronistic and nostalgic. My making process is very intimate, holding my work closely and deftly using tools and techniques. I also reserve the position of a critical observer, skeptical of nostalgia and fevered by discovery. These two positions have fostered a sincere and passionate perspective on the field, my identity within it and my responsibility to make, study and preserve it. jeffreyclancy.com