Natalia Laluque presents new sculpture series at Gallery *New* (10/12/03)

Natalia Laluque presents new sculpture series at Gallery *New*

TORONTO - Having only recently left Kyiv for Toronto, artist Natalia Laluque presented her first works that draw on inspiration from her Canadian experience alongside works by fellow Canadian ceramic artist Wndy Wallgate, current vice-president of the Ontario Crafts Council, in an exhibit at The Distillery Gallery *New*. The 11-day exhibit opened on September 25.

A native of Kyiv, Ms. Laluque is a graduate of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, where she majored in graphic design. She has worked as a ceramic artist and painter for over 15 years and is considered one of Kyiv's leading ceramic artists.

In Ukraine, Ms. Laluque has exhibited her work in solo exhibitions at the Honchar (1992, 2001) and the Ya Design (2003) galleries in Kyiv and as part of "The Decorative Arts of Ukraine at the End of the 20th Century" exhibit (Kyiv, 1998).

Her work has been featured in various publications, including Elle magazine (Ukraine), for which she has also conducted interviews with such known designers as Christian Werner of Ligne Roset and Giorgio Saporiti of II Loft.

The artist's recent solo exhibits were held in Berlin (2002), Magdeburg, Germany (2001) and Moscow (2002). Among her exhibits in the United States was a solo exhibit at the Artists-in-Residence Gallery in La Grange, Georgia (2001) and partipation in the 27th Annual Toys Designed by Artists Exhibition held at the Decorative Arts Museum in Little Rock, Ark. (2002).

This year Ms. Laluque took part in the 53rd International Ceramics Competition titled "The Shape between Continuity and Innovation," which was hosted by the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, Italy, as well as the second World Ceramics Biennale held in South Korea. In this exhibition Ms. Laluque's works were shown alongside those of Canadian artists Steven Heinemann, Ann Mortimer and Leopold L. Foulem.

Last year Ms. Laluque also took part in the fifth Cairo International Ceramics Biennale held in Giza, Egypt, and in the 25th International Gouds Pottenbakkers Festival in Gouda, Holland.

At The Distillery Gallery *New* show, she presented a new terra cotta sculpture series, defined by her signature slab-cutting technique in which she uses wire cutters to facet large blocks of raw clay into strong, massive compositions.

Since emigrating to Canada only a few months ago, Ms. Laluque' s artistic career has gotten off to a propitious start, thanks to a fortuitous meeting with Michelle Kosoy, owner of The ClaySpace. Ms. Kosoy not only graciously offered the artist a place to work and helped her acclimate to life in Toronto, but also opened many doors for the artist in the Toronto arts community.

In an interview with BBC Radio Ukraine given prior to her departure for Canada, Ms. Laluque noted that she was moving to a new country in search of new sources of inspiration for her art as well as of new perspectives. The Gallery *New* exhibit was the first manifestation of the artist' s new vision.

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