Anne Dangar is one of (the) few Australian artists to engage directly with European modernism of the early 20th century. Renowned for her cubist pottery, as we can see in this plate, she brilliantly fuses traditional techniques with 20th century designs. From her earthy colours, and stringent brushstrokes, to her imperfect shapes and boldness of design – Dangar had a unique vision.
Born in Kempsey, Australia in 1885, Dangar travelled to France in early 1926 with her close friend, the painter Grace Crowley. While she took up lessons in painting, she did not have enough money to stay. But, on her return to Australia, she received a message through Crowley from the cubist painter Albert Gleizes, whose work she had seen during her visit to France, and principles and philosophies would be inspired by. He was inviting her back to Europe.
Gleizes asked her to live and work at his artist’s community Moly-Sabata in southern France. Dangar accepted immediately, and moved to Moly-Sabata, where she remained until her death in 1951.
This plate feels like a tangible and tactile encapsulation of Dangar’s relationship with art and making. The curves and spirals can be traced from French pottery traditions, as well as Gleize’s theories – such as his system of shifting circular planes inspired by the thirteenth century mathematician, Fibonacci, who observed the petal number on plants.
A painter who began her first pottery lessons in France, Dangar constantly experimented with different shapes, sizes, methods and more. She fused traditions that ranged from Celtic to Cubist, and, looking to the modern world around her, created functional and artistic objects imbued with beauty and history.
