Since graduating from Wanganui Polytechnic in 1997, Paul Maseyk has become renowned for his use of daring sculptural forms, personal narratives and complex surface illustration.
As one of New Zealand’s most distinctive and skilled ceramicists, Maseyk blends geometric pattern, bold colour and intricate detail with popular culture and historical imagery, art historical references, erotica and autobiographical details.
In 2014 Dunedin Public Art Gallery held an exhibition of Maseyk’s works, ‘‘One Pot Wonder’’, from which they acquired St Paul, the Cowboy and King Dick Venture Out to See the Sights for the permanent collection.
This work was created in 2008, during a residency at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Montana, in the United States.
In this work, Maseyk has fused autobiographical references from his time in residence with famous American imagery.
The detailed drawing that adorns this pot is also influenced by the ancient Greek tradition of highly embellished vessels.
Maseyk’s work is distinctive in content and form, where the ceramic surface is treated as a canvas.
As a material, the use of slips, or slipware, is an old English tradition that utilises liquid clay.
While the surface of a pot can be dipped in or brushed with slip, it can also be stained with colour pigment, becoming a paint in its own right.
This material dries almost instantly and allows little room for error, highlighting the skill required to create contrast, shadow and tone.
This recent acquisition shows Maseyk’s ability to simultaneously test, celebrate and focus on the rich materiality of clay, the expressive potential of its surface and the history of ceramics.
• St Paul, the Cowboy and King Dick Venture Out to See the Sights is currently on display in the collection exhibition "Exploded Worlds" (ongoing) at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
