Robyn Hosking ceramic artist

Robyn Hosking is an Australian based artist whose work in ceramics is a bit whimsical and a bit joyous without falling into the trap of being a bit crap and kitsch. Kitsch of course is a term that gets overused and misunderstood; it is a term that describes cultural parapheanlia, rather than something that is cheap and nasty. Today's kitsch will eventually be in museums. However, Hoskings stuff will be in museums because it it is very good and not because it is kitsch.

The above sculpture is clearly an aeroplane and uses the former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard's face equipped with goggles. A two time former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, Hangs from the bottom, obviously refusing to let go. With the other aeroplanes buzzing around, it doesn't look as much like a dogfight as much as it looks like a flying circus, which is basically what became of the Australian Labor Party in recent years. In fact one of the only problems with Hosking's work is hidden right there; it is very current. There is a different Prime Minister now and the relevancy of Hosking's work is already somewhat faded. Despite being such a beautiful work, Australians have very short memories when it comes to politics. Perhaps I was worng in my previous assertation that this was not kitsch. Perhaps it is kitsch because it is paraphenalia of the political-cultural institution. You can view Hosking's own blog here, which I hope you will do.