Sylwia Tur

I have a fascination with language, but not as a means of communication, rather as a naturally developed mechanism that’s innate to all of us, with all of its regularities and exceptions, necessary components creating tension.  The underlying processes that make language work are quite complex, even though things may seem simple on the surface. When working on my sculptures, I am using analogies to the processes that come together to form language. The shapes I choose to make are the things I am missing, thus I’m filling a gap for myself between what is already present and what I want to bring into being.

Architecture also plays a significant role as an inspiring force behind the aesthetic of my work. I am interested in basic geometric shapes which are often devoid of inherent identity, thus providing a clean slate for my work. I can choose their identity by the way I bring them together, and this chosen vocabulary of shapes creates my own language of objects.

While it was here, in the US, where I truly discovered contemporary art and started to shape my vision as an artist, my ideas and aesthetic are deeply rooted in Poland.  I find beauty in basic shapes, welcome restraint and limitations, and want to do a lot with very little.

BIO

Sylwia Tur was born and raised in Poland. She received Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Linguistics from the University of Washington in Seattle, followed by Post-Baccalaureate studies in Studio Art (Ceramics) also at the UW. She continues to draw inspiration from both fields: art and linguistics. Her work has been included in several juried and invitational exhibitions throughout the country. She also had solo shows at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Bellevue, WA, at the Monarch Contemporary Gallery in Seattle, UW Ceramics Gallery in Seattle. She is a recipient of the Artist Trust GAP Grant (Grants for Artist Projects), as well as the Regional Exhibition Award from the National Council of Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). She lives and works in Seattle and is represented by Monarch Contemporary Gallery.

http://www.sylwiatur.com