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In the Tradition of Smiling Angels

CURNEEN, Claire

The Angels represent a grand presence. They are messengers, bringers of news, good or bad. They serve as a reminder of our mortality with a comforting presence. Terracotta is warm and has associations with the ground. It is ordinary and commonplace and therefore imparts a sense of belonging. This contrasts with the use of gold which carries meaning of high value and status. This work explores the idea of the importance of the ordinary existing alongside with the extraordinary' (Claire Curneen).

Figure group, terracotta, comprising two winged angels standing beside a tree each on its own irregularly modelled base shaped to fit closely together, the left figure (viewer's left) with its right leg against a tree stump, its left arm straight down at its side, its right arm bent at the elbow, its head turned to its left and slightly downwards, the right figure leaning against a tree at its right side, both arms bent at the elbow with the hands nearly meeting, its head turned to its right and slightly downwards, areas of dripped and dipped gold lustre round the feet, on the fingers, faces, wings, on the right figure's lower abdomen, on the branches of the tree.

In the Tradition of Smiling Angels
Image: © Claire Curneen/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
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Collection Area

Art

Item Number

NMW A 39104

Creation/Production

CURNEEN, Claire
Date: 2007

Acquisition

Purchase - ass. of DWT, 27/7/2009
Purchased with support from The Derek Williams Trust

Measurements

Height (cm): 78
Width (cm): 50
Depth (cm): 29.3
Height (in): 30
Width (in): 19
Depth (in): 11

Techniques

hand-built
forming
Applied Art
dipped
decoration
Applied Art
poured

Material

terracotta
gold lustre

Location

Gallery 20

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Categories

Cerameg stiwdio | Studio ceramics Cerameg | Ceramics Celf Gymhwysol | Applied Art Crefft | Craft Celf Gymhwysol | Applied Art Celf ar y Cyd (100 Artworks) Angel | Angel Noethlun | Nude Aur | Gold Published online (Applied Art) CADP content Artist Benywaidd | Woman Artist CADP random Artistiaid y 21ain ganrif | Active in the 21st Century
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