Ron Nagle: Nocturn Around – Celebrating Six Decades of Sculptural Innovation at Secession

This exhibition at Secession features 25 sculptures and drawings by Ron Nagle from recent years. Nagle's work is characterized by his exploration of ceramic as an artistic medium, creating miniature, intensely colored objects that blend diverse influences from painting and Japanese pottery to hot-rod culture.

The Secession presents 'Nocturn Around,' an exhibition highlighting the recent sculptures and drawings of San Francisco-based artist Ron Nagle. With parallel careers as a visual artist and musician spanning six decades, Nagle is renowned for his small-format ceramic sculptures. These pieces function as miniature landscapes, abstract compositions, or conceptual jokes, often paired with witty titles that Nagle stresses should not be read as keys to their meaning. Structure, form, color, and surface treatment are paramount in his work, which consistently redefines clay as an artistic material. His development is closely linked to the California Clay Movement, which championed ceramics as a fine art medium. Nagle's sculptures draw inspiration from European and American painting, Japanese ceramics of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and hot-rod culture, evident in their meticulous finishes and vibrant, automotive-inspired color palettes achieved through airbrushing and advanced lacquering techniques. Nagle's process begins with sketches, and the connection to drawing remains strong, with his objects often oscillating between sculpture and image. He sometimes dictates the viewing perspective through wall vitrines, defining a primary facade reminiscent of two-dimensional art. This presentation style also evokes a stage, typically viewed from the front. Over more than 60 years, Nagle has consistently refined his small-format ceramic objects through experimentation and innovation, embracing new materials like resins and plastics to achieve specific visual effects. His sophisticated color palette and luminosity are achieved through elaborate layering, polishing, and the use of high-quality automotive paints, reflecting his engagement with the aesthetics of customized cars. His early work was influenced by pioneers like Peter Voulkos, who revolutionized the perception of clay in art. This era also saw the expansion of art schools with dedicated ceramics departments and the appointment of influential professors who introduced international techniques and styles, such as Maija Grotell and Toshiko Takaezu.

Information regarding tickets can be found via a link to the Secession shop. The general museum opening hours are listed, and visitors are directed to a 'tickets' page for purchasing admission. The page does not specify prices or booking requirements, only where to find them.