Cosmic Egg

The kitsch, frog-obsessed funk ceramics of Gilhooly grew from attempts to out-grotesque contemporaries — but gradually came to embody the levelling of art through absurdist parodies of 'high-brow’ civilisation and culture. The semi-abstract “Cosmic Egg” takes the literal form of a long oblong egg, but also seems to be manipulating a heavily compressed figurative representation. The marble-like glaze infers classical sculpture, and manifold rounded lumps suggest limbs tied in knots and squashed, fetus-like, into shape upon its pedestal. Two horizontal stripes of darker glaze add to the surrealness with painterly effect.