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LUSTRE & InFLUX

27 September 2018 – 8 January 2019

Lustre & InFlux presents the innovative work of Ireland’s newest goldsmithing and ceramic graduates of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s Centres of Excellence in Jewellery and Goldsmithing and in Ceramics in Kilkenny. A National Design & Craft Gallery touring exhibition, Lustre & InFlux will be opened at Farmleigh Gallery by Oliver Sears, Director of the Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, on Thursday 27th September 2018 and will run until 8th January 2019.

Lustre showcases beautiful pieces designed and made by the most recent graduates of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s world-renowned Centre of Excellence in Jewellery & Goldsmithing. The exhibition displays the high level of craftsmanship and unique set of skills honed by the talented students during the intensive two-year programme, and features stunning work in gold, silver, platinum and gemstones. A highlight of the exhibition is an exquisite collection of ten Fabergé-style eggs, displaying the magical qualities that are possible when design is combined with precious metals, gemstones and vibrant enamels. The eggs are a celebration of the high level of skill attained by the students during their course in Kilkenny.

InFlux represents the culmination of two years of rigorous training in all aspects of ceramics skills and design at DCCoI’s internationally recognised Centre of Excellence in Ceramics which is based in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. The exhibition shows the innovation and diversity in ceramic design and technique of some of Ireland’s newest makers, reflecting their individual technical ability and design aesthetic. ‘Flux’ in ceramics describes a material that will cause silica, which has a natural melting point of 1700°C, to melt at a lower temperature thus forming ceramic glazes. Rocks and minerals, such as talc, whiting and dolomite, which provide these fluxes, are essential building blocks when formulating and constructing glazes. In general terms, the word ‘flux’ also means continuous change and movement and can be applied to the development of ideas and designs and best describes the diversity of this work.

The exhibition is a partnership with The Office of Public Works, National Design & Craft Gallery, Design & Crafts Council of Ireland and National University of Ireland, Maynooth.