Art with a twist at the Jam Factory

Green Story (Grandma’s House) by Michael Doolan, photograph by Graham Baring

I like it when artists flip ideas around and turn them inside out. Such visual mischief is currently on display at the Jam Factory in Adelaide.

'Figuration' includes the work of Jenny Orchard, Mark Thompson, Stephen Bird and Michael Doolan. I particularly enjoy the latter artist's inverting of familiar images. Although his fairytale-like objects (above, below) look furry and kid-like, they're actually made out of tough ceramics. (The fuzzy vinyl is there to trick your senses).


Red Story (Woodcutter's Rabbit) by Michael Doolan, photograph by Graham Baring

I also like his futuristic bunnies – a Jetsons-like fusing of ceramics and platinum lustre. Says Michael in his artist's statement, "their highly reflective faux liquid surfaces prevent the objects from assuming fixed identities. Like The Terminator’s liquid man, they appear to be in a constant state of transformation".


Rabbit Family by Michael Doolan, photograph by Graham Baring

Another artist at the gallery who is giving ceramics a contemporary twist is Julie Bartholomew. She's taken flashy designer labels and cast them in a very unusual way. Here's something you won't be seeing on a catwalk or high-end shop display window.


Louis Vuitton boots by Julie Bartholomew

Definitely not made out of ceramics (even if all the aforementioned experimentations make you wonder what porcelain can pull off) is the work of Susie Duggin. At Jam Factory, she's exhibiting new textile creations. I like her tactile use of hand and machine stitching.


The Tree of Love (detail) by Susie Duggin, photograph by Michael James

All shows are on at the gallery until June 21. Look up the Jam Factory website for more details.

Lee Tran, deputy chief sub-editor