Join Modern Eden Gallery this weekend as they proudly present Susannah Montague: When They Find Us. Captivating us with wistful narratives, each ceramic sculpture tells a story of ecological decline, fragility, and the exploration of beauty throughout its lifecycle stages. Every detail, like a melody, weaves together seamlessly, drawing us deeper into her many compositional complexities. Additionally, the gallery invites you to feel the magic and wander into the enchanting world of all things Faye with their exciting new group exhibition, Reverie.
Don’t miss the opportunity to experience each collection in its entirety. You can also view past and present exhibitions as well as all available inventory by visiting the gallery website.
Press Release //
Modern Eden proudly presents the gallery debut solo exhibition of Susannah Montague. In Susannah Montague’s solo exhibition, “When They Find Us,” she addresses the intricate challenges of navigating an impending catastrophe and wrestling with climate anxiety, all through the lens of a dark beauty and Baroque sensibility. Montague’s ceramic sculptures act as gateways, transporting observers into a surreal realm that captures the visceral essence of confronting substantial and irreversible changes amidst the relentless news cycle and the stark reality of global warming.
The exhibition, influenced by the tangible impacts of climate change in Montague’s local landscape, delves into the pressing climate crisis, advocating for immediate and widespread action. The emotional turbulence and the imperative to articulate the reality of ecological decline infuse the collection with undeniable intensity.
Within the exhibition, is a series titled “Afterlife” which features 5 sculptures crafted from salvaged antique figurines, exploring existence post-catastrophe as a symbol of transformation and restoration. Departing from the conventional white palette, Montague embraces dripping black and green seeping glazes, symbolizing the dark finality of death and the transformative potential leading to new life.
Created from resilient yet delicate clay, each sculpture symbolizes the simultaneous power and fragility of nature, drawing viewers into a world suspended between reality and imagination. This intentional instability invites observers to immerse themselves in a realm of perpetual change, provoking a distinct anxiety akin to the uncanny.
Susannah Montague’s highly symbolic and eerily beautiful sculptures at once draw you in, and repel you. In each the surreal porcelain works, there is a narrative to be discovered. Using a combination of hand building, press molds, and slip casting to build her sculptures, she also references traditions from ceramic fine-craft and art history.
Montague uses symbols such as fading flowers, bubbles, skulls, and insects to represent death and the transient nature of life. These symbols, interspersed with casts of toys including dolls, helicopters, and bunnies, take on a slightly sinister feeling in their modern compositions. Montague’s work examines the cycles in our lives and asks us to revel in the beauty of the absurd. Susannah Montague is a British born ceramic sculptor, based on Bowen Island, BC. She received her BFA from Emily Carr University and OCAD University.
Susannah Montague: When They Find Us
+
Reverie
Opening Reception: Saturday, December 9, 2023 | 6-9 pm
Exhibition Dates: December 9, 2023 – January 4, 2024
Modern Eden Gallery
1100 Sutter Street | San Francisco, CA 94109
For press inquiries or sales, please contact Modern Eden Gallery Director Kim Larson at kim@moderneden.com | General Information, please email info@moderneden.com
Phone: (415) 956-3303
Wednesday–Saturday, 12–5 pm
Private artwork viewing appointments are available
Susannah Montague: When They Find Us
Reverie Group Exhibition
Press Relaese //
Modern Eden Gallery is pleased to present Reverie, an exploration and celebration of the enigmatic and ethereal world of the Faye. This show is an invitation to artists to unleash their imaginations and delve into the mysteries and the magic of the fairy realm. Picture the enchanting fairy rings, the portals to the otherworld, a place where time bends and reality shimmers. These sacred circles of lore, hidden in the twilight of our ordinary world, become a stage for the Faye, for their timeless dances and whispered secrets.
Featuring Adam Augustyn, Alexandra Verhoven, Alexis Marga, Amandalynn, Aunia Kahn, Bob Doucette, Catherine Moore, Dan Cohen, David Natale, Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman, Dos Diablos, Firefly Path, Gabriela Sincich, Hallie Packard, Heidi Taillefer, Jel Ena, Jenna Wing-Hu, Jessica Dalva, Juliet Schreckinger, Kelly Eden, Kindra Nikole, Lacey Bryant, Leila Ataya, Linda Larson, Mary Syring, Nico Cathcart, Pamela Mower-Conner, Paolo Petrangeli, Pony Ma, Rupy Kaloti, Sandra Yagi, Stephanie Jucker, Sybiline, Tanya Menis, Tino Rodriguez, Vanessa Lemen, Virgo Paraiso, Ximena Rendón, Martin Hsu, and sea monster.
Modern Eden Gallery Social Media Accounts
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
