With his new body of work, Greg Daly is showing us his interpretation of recycling of ideas. Nothing wrong with that especially if you can manage to present such rich tactile surfaces with elegant yet simple shapes. The balance of form and decoration is a hallmark of Daly's, as is his vessels. Simple, flowing and beautiful to look at, one has the urge to take them up and run your hands over them.
The framework of Daly's decorative pieces has always been the underpinning of strong throwing skills, and an innate sense of well-balanced design. This coupled with his knowledge of glaze technology and an inquiring mind means that he is not afraid to experiment. The last few years has seen his work full of rich lustred, highly glossy glazes but this new work is simpler in concept. Matt and satin matts have replaced those lustres.
Daly's rediscovery of forms and shapes from his earlier years, such as the tripod, just means that he has found a new canvas on which to display his surface treatments. Satin Matts in yellows, creams, green blues and dark brown, almost blacks are overlaid with striking slashes of red enamel. Highlights with gold and silver leaf and the previously mentioned red enamel raise the decoration above the surface of the pot. This extraneous form of decoration sits quite exquisitely on the rounded belly of a vessel or splashed across the interior of a platter. Thickly applied, the red enamel forms a 'dried earth' cracked, tactile line running either diagonally or horizontally across the glazes. This striking bold orange/ red freehand design is the unifying element throughout the exhibition.
Daly has made use of the uneven rim of various bowls as a decorative element, finishing off the rims by cleaning them but without attempting to 'straighten' them. This is a Japanese aesthetic of unperfected beauty and Daly is a master.
Gallery East is displaying Daly's work on the wall or on high plinths often at eye level, what an excellent idea. Ceramics are often placed at knee level and the outside wall area is left unseen, or the viewer has to stoop over to examine any outer surface decoration. Please all other galleries take note!
This one exhibition would have to be seen by anyone with an interest in the subject even if they see no other this year.