At first glance Attridge's rococo porcelain sculptures appear as
if they'd fit in perfectly on the mantelpieces of the most
conservative middle-Englanders. Only on closer inspection does it
become clear that what you thought was a quaint English scene of a
railway tunnel beneath a pretty green hill is, in fact, a woman's
raised buttocks with her vulva in pride of place.
To say that Attridge is rapidly becoming a big name in the art
world and is an understatement. This very British (just without the
stiff upper lip) artist recently returned from the Big Apple, where
a selection of her sculptures were shown in her first solo show,
Hearts of Oak at the prestigous Asya Geisberg Gallery in trendy
downtown Manhattan earlier this year. Littered with breasts, female
genitalia and intertwined lovers, her work playfully incorporates
an element of surprise. Attridge, who studied fine art at the
University of Brighton and the Royal Academy Schools, says it was
her professor who told her to "find a subject that turns you on",
which she apparently took quite literally. For Annie, even the act
of making the sculptures is akin to sex. She comments that she
likes to get her hands "right in there", turning "wet clay... into
hard clay" with "underlying waves of passion".
For more information about Attridge's upcoming shows, visit
annieattridge.com or contact
Asya Geisberg at www.asyageisberggallery.com
