Madeleine Thornton-Smith

      Madeleine Thornton-Smith has training in painting and ceramics. Remediation is the act of re-forming an object in a material from which it wouldn’t usually be made. Thornton-Smith uses remediation as a method of investigating medium specificity—in particular the location where, and the manner in which, one distinct medium ends and another begins. Employing a slow process of accumulation and repetition, she uses slip-casting to bring together commonplace studio material surfaces—bubble wrap, acrylic paint, polystyrene, expanding foam, render and concrete—with archetypal forms from fine art and ceramics—vessels, plinths, frames, canvases and tiles. Recently the frame has been her focus. This mimetic process also interrogates material hierarchies: for example, a canvas or expanding form’s material currency is subverted through slip-casting – raising questions about the status and value of ceramics, art and craft. Through an accumulation of experience working in various mediums, Thornton-Smith tries to bring different ways of working to the practice of object-making. Collage and photomontage also form a big part of her practice: creating worlds that exist between.  

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Pieces I stoneware glazed just came out of the kiln from my recent ceramic brooch workshop at @hawthornartscentre in association with my current solo exhibition 'Painting Place' at @townhallgallery Many of the students made beautiful small sculptures by pressing clay into plaster moulds of various textures from my studio. Students can now pick up their pieces from the Hawthorn Arts Centre! (at Hawthorn Arts Centre) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkCP2V8Bs8I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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'Painting Place', my solo exhibition of cast ceramic paintings continues at @townhallgallery until November 5. This painting includes a cast of a wall in my neighbouring street, Barrington Avenue. ‘Painting Place’ by Madeleine Thornton-Smith is a community exhibition examining pre-existing hierarchies between paintings and ceramics. Originally trained as a painter, Thornton-Smith creates ceramic works that imitate traditional elements in fine art, such as canvases, frames, and plinths. Through pressing clay against textured surfaces of local buildings and making moulds of small found objects such as rocks or concrete, the artist attempts to capture a sense of Boroondara. These collected impressions are recreated in a series of ceramic paintings using the process of slip-casting. Thornton-Smith’s practice aims to challenge traditional beliefs in Western Art History that painting is the highest artform and more valuable than craft-based works like ceramics. In representing one medium by using another, their perceived meaning, value, and symbolism become merged. Image: 'Cast of a Painting VI (Barrington Avenue)', 2022, earthenware, underglaze, acrylic, 19 x 19 x 2 cm, image courtesy of the artist. (at Town Hall Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj2GXrbPydl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Purple 35mm film - Hipódromo & Puebla, 2022 #nofilter (at Hipódromo Condesa) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjy9Ey6vsxp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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This piece is being auctioned tonight for THE ELECTION EXHIBITION in Collingwood - a fundraiser to elect @gabrielledevietri to state parliament. 50% of proceeds will go to the campaign and 50% to the artist. The piece is already available for bidding on the website here, along with many other wonderful artists' works: https://app.galabid.com/electionexhibition/items Madeleine Thornton-Smith, 'Sellout', 2022, earthenware, ceramic stain, glaze, acrylic, 22 x 26 x 3.5 cm, image courtesy of the artist. Madeleine Thornton-Smith is a painter and ceramic artist from Melbourne. Her practice examines the hierarchy that exists between fine art and craft in relation to class and gender, with a particular interest in subverting meaning through remediation. She is passionate about the fighting for the working rights of artists and artworkers. THE ELECTION EXHIBITION Live closing event: 6-8pm 17th September 224 Smith Street, Collingwood https://www.instagram.com/p/Cil6B1sPnIC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Join me for a one-off ceramic jewellery workshop I am teaching next Tuesday 20th September, 6.30-8.30pm at @hawthornartscentre in conjunction with my upcoming exhibition at Boroondara's @townhallgallery A bargain at only $50/$45 concession! 'Create beautiful wearable art with ceramicist Madeleine Thornton-Smith. Madeleine will guide participants in creating their own textured brooches out of clay inspired by local buildings and objects, in conjunction with her upcoming exhibition 'Painting Place' at the Town Hall Gallery. Pieces will be fired, glazed and available for participants to collect at a later date. All materials provided.' To sign up visit: https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/textured-brooch-making-workshop (at Hawthorn Arts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiefABkvjxj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Plaster cast painting / paint with plaster https://www.instagram.com/p/ChMsErDPoQf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I excited to be speaking with various artists, academics and artworkers in this online symposium for @rmit_art today: 'Artistic Courage: reimagining work, ambition and equity in the arts.' This is hosted by Bev Munroe, Channon Goodwin, Chloë Powell and Dr. Marnie Badham and runs from 12pm-5pm. I will be speaking on the topic of artists organising, class and trade unions - my passion! I am on around 4pm. N.B. The event will be recorded if you cannot attend live! https://www.visualartswork.net.au/events.html (at RMIT School of Art) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgkuUWNBdCO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Tassie (at Tasmania, Austraila) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdlLPAZPWUt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Tiny ceramic frame, cast Barranco wall texture, 2019. Midfire reduction, black glaze. (at Heidelberg West, Victoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdfDfNeL1S4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Noir aujourd'hui https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdc0T97LFH5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Hard couple of days but here is a test cast of the back of a painting I just made. A lot of my work is tied up with memory - memories of canvases, memories of walls and buildings, memories of rocks and shells and objects I have collected. Looking at pieces I cast in Peru in late 2019 is bittersweet - before the pandemic, before friendships changed, before my illness last year. Sadly this piece I'll always associate with a sudden friendship breakdown. I listened to an earnest album by Foals today and took out my frustration into clay. The pandemic has done terrible things to some people - and has affected our collective sense of time, place and memory too. 🖼 (at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdYAsdEpDh7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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My beloved kiln and I https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc0Am1ePnjA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I recently wrote an article for The Journal of Australian Ceramics about sham contracting - an industrial issue that's becoming increasingly common not only in the arts, but in Australian workplaces generally. Sham contracting is when employers either deliberately or inadvertently contract their ongoing regular labour, asking workers to get an ABN instead of employing them on the payroll. This is often to avoid their legal employer obligations such as payroll tax, superannuation, paid training, award rates and regular pay rises. Essentially, sham contracting is the Uberisation of the arts. True contractors, who are usually sole traders should be able to quote and negotiate their pay rates and also charge for all hours worked. Additionally, both contractors and employees alike (employed for their labour only) should be receiving superannuation according to the ATO, as for tax purposes they are both employees. Contractors who don't receive superannuation can contact the ATO to help track the superannuation that they are owed. In my callout I received over 60 responses from across Australia (mostly from young women) which suggests that sham contracting is a growing problem, many employers taking advantage of makers or educators new to the field. Some were paid below minimum wage which almost certainly indicates sham contracting. After learning about working rights for artists interning at The Victorian Trades Hall Council @weare.union and having experienced this problem in working in various commercial and local government studios, I decided it was time to speak out. In my article I attempt to address some of these issues and provide resources that both employers and employees alike can access for advice. Although I cannot give legal advice my DMs are always open if you think you could be experiencing this problem working in a ceramics or art studio tutoring, doing technical work or production pottery. This article is available to read in the latest @australianceramics journal, Volume 61, No 1 (April 2022) - online or hard copy available to buy here: https://australianceramics.com/journal https://www.instagram.com/p/CcwvXrLv_Ik/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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More fantastic photographs by @kevin.h.li at @1280.gallery of clay pieces from the @clay.connected exhibition. There's a painterly, Baroque feeling to these images that Kevin has taken, the lighting really enhancing the drama of our slowly collapsing ceramic pieces! My piece is the blue blob which broke down almost immediately 😂 (at 1280 / Ceramics gallery + co-making space) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcmvcQsvz8q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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A few of the artists from the @clay.connected exhibition putting our pieces into a long tub of water to break down, in preparation for reclaiming the clay to make new pieces. Sadly my piece got broken just before I put it in the tub of water but to me it's a metaphor. I am 'breaking down' the concept of what painting is by slipcasting a canvas into clay, shattering it into pieces, and slaking it down in water. Maybe I'll make a new painting out of the remains. Photographs by @kevin.h.li (at 1280 / Ceramics gallery + co-making space) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcmqjB6vHo8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Stop motion video put together by @kevin.h.li of our work from group ceramics exhibition @clay.connected at @1280.gallery in Brunswick a few weeks ago. In my excitement I initially posted this too early and have been away in Clay Gulgong all last week, hence the delay! We will be making new pieces with the combined remnants of our unfired stoneware pieces soon. (at 1280 / Ceramics gallery + co-making space) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcegD-tBLfM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Thanks so much to everyone who came down to our ceramics show @clay.connected at @1280.gallery for Melbourne Design Week last week! It was so nice to be at a busy opening again talking all things pottery! Thank you also to @kevin.h.li for these wonderful photographs and providing the space for us to have the exhibition. Pieces will be on display for a few more days - then we melt them down in water to make into something new! (at 1280 / Ceramics gallery + co-making space) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbdtjn8BCFT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=