Grotto: Curated by Kitty Clark
Kitty Clark, founder of Saint Cloche, presents Grotto – a celebratory end of year group exhibition that invites a sensorial journey through a collection of hand-selected artworks.
Words: Georgie Ward | Photography: Jacqui Turk
Pictured from left to right: Little Lass II & Little Lass III by Sallie Portnoy and Sun/Moon (Hatha) by Holly Terry. Photo: Jacqui Turk
Little Lass II & Little Lass III by Sallie Portnoy. Photo: Jacqui Turk
With a remarkable year coming to an end, Saint Cloche celebrates Grotto, a grand finale group exhibition that presents a collective body of work exploring diverse and eclectic reflections of life and art.
Curator Kitty Clark was heavily inspired by Plato’s book Allegory of the Cave, which speaks to ideas of truth, reality, hidden worlds and unknown realms. Grotto narrates these ideas, blending aesthetics with storytelling, through a visually indulgent exhibition of sculptures, paintings, ceramics and more.
The concept of Grotto aims to transcend the physical world and reality, inviting viewers to enter a space beyond the walls of the Paddington gallery, but the impression of a subterranean cave exploration. Each artist developed their own contemporary interpretations of Plato’s text, and paired with their distinctive artistic abilities have created their own story within a story.
Clark emphasises that Grotto ‘crystalises a vision for the evolution of a utopian future, seeking to opens our eyes to new and loftier realms — the experiential works will go beyond being extensions of the natural landscape but hopefully tether us to a deeper knowing that we are all intrinsically nature.’
The idea of Grotto initially arose from Clarks fascination with caves from a young age. With a curious mind and appetite for adventure and discovery, she has visited caves all across the globe, fuelled by her desire to explore.
‘Grotto is also a metaphor in response to the past couple of years, where most of humankind have had to retreat and have been, in a sense, retreating and hibernating in our dwellings. During this time most of us have questioned if it is just a simple question of cause and effect? Or something more?’ says Clark.
To celebrate Grotto, Saint Cloche has collaborated with artisanal, home-fragrance brand Of Note, curating their very own candle, Heretopia, which aromatises the sensorial experience of Grotto through notes of ocean, gardenia, bamboo, woodfire and cedarwood – captures the essence of the end of year show sensorially.
Pictured from left to right: H. Variable by Evi O, Poetry by Carissa Karamarko, Untitled 1 by Claudia Bagnall and Untitled 5 by Claudia Bagnall. Photo: Jacqui Turk
Pictured from top: Conservatory Love and Love Eternal by Indivi Sutton. Bottom left: Figure in Landscape by Nick Pont. Photo: Jacqui Turk
To celebrate Grotto, Saint Cloche has collaborated with artisanal, home-fragrance brand Of Note, to create a bespoke candle that captures the essence of the end of year show sensorially with – Heretopia. Photo: Jacqui Turk
“The artists wove together a dense dreamlike colour palette inspired by the world’s most magical natural grottos and ancient antiquities.”
Pictured from left: Little Lass I by Sallie Portnoy and Untitled 3 by Claudia Bagnall. Photo: Jacqui Turk
H. Variable by Evi O. Photo: Jacqui Turk
VISIT GROTTO At SAINT CLOCHE
WEDNESDAY 15TH DECEMBER - SUNDAY 16TH JANUARY
37 MacDonald Street, Paddington, Sydney