Author(s): Vincenzo Bellis

Art and Photography

From the outset, American artist Betty Woodman (born 1930) has used ceramics as her medium of expression and artistic research, and it has made her one of the most influential and original voices on the international art scene. Bridging the gap between art and craft, Woodman moves nimbly between the traditions of an age-old medium, taking inspiration from Minoan and Egyptian art, Greek and Etruscan sculpture, Tang Dynasty works, majolica and Sevres porcelain, Italian Baroque architecture and the paintings of Bonnard, Picasso and Matisse, while also introducing innovations in both style and technique. In particular, her way of combining ceramics and painting shows a painterly sensibility that in recent years has played a key role in the development of her work. This publication focuses on work made over the past ten years, while taking stock of Woodman's continued relevance to contemporary art and her importance among postwar artists.