Bouke de Vries: War and Pieces

September 18, 2021 – March 13, 2022 | Schreiber Gallery


war-and-pieces-2-1
The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts’ iconic Schrieber Gallery, will be stunningly transformed this fall with the installation of War & Pieces—a work by internationally known London-based Dutch artist Bouke de Vries.

War & Pieces is a 26’ long “tablescape” created from fragments of porcelain depicting an epic battle scene, packed with details waiting to be discovered.

The installation, which has been described as “spectacular,” “remarkable,” “not to be missed,” “epic,” “intricate,” “dramatic,” “witty and sly”—has been described as a masterwork by art critics and is currently touring North America after having been seen in venues throughout Europe and Asia.

Born in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Bouke de Vries studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven and Central St Martin’s, London. After working in the fashion industry with John Galliano, Stephen Jones, and Zandra Rhodes, he switched careers and studied ceramics conservation and restoration at West Dean College. He has been a full-time studio artist working in London since 2010.
His work in ceramic conservation—reassembling and repairing broken objects—led de Vries to a distinct style in which his primary materials are ceramic fragments and pieces, which he uses to create fascinating, and often provocative artworks that create a dialogue between our contemporary consumer culture and ceramics itself as a historic commodity.

This exhibition tour is organized by Leslie Ferrin of Ferrin Contemporary.