Diane KW

Ceramic artist Diane KW divides her time between Hawaii and Cape Ann. Prior to her art career she worked as a neurologist, epidemiologist and researcher in the USA and in Switzerland. KW’s work with ceramics is quite varied, from hand-carved vessels to conceptual collage transformation of ceramic shards. Her work may be seen in many other museum collections including the Honolulu Museum of Art (Hawaii), the Nanchong University Ceramic Museum (China) and the Groninger Museum (Netherlands).

Strong Breezes & Passing Clouds

An installation by Diane KW

Strong Breezes & Passing Clouds is a permanent work by contemporary ceramic artist Diane KW. The installation, made up of approximately 200 shipwreck shards* and six Chinese Export plates, is installed on five walls in the vestibule and entry-level restroom at the Cape Ann Museum. The shards date from circa 1625 to 1865 and the Chinese Export plates from circa 1735 to 1750. Excerpts from the 1838 ship’s log of Gloucester Captain Edward Babson of the brig Cadet and the 1838 diary of his wife, Amanda Babson, have been applied to the shards and plates; interspersed amidst the diary and log entries are family photos and excerpts from the Gloucester Marine Journal reporting ships lost or missing at sea as well as excerpts from the brig Cadet accounts book.

*Shipwreck shards are from the Wanli, c.1625—a Portuguese ship found in Malaysian waters; the Cau Mau, c.1725—a Chinese junk, found off the coast of Vietnam; the Geldermalsen, 1752—a Dutch East India Company ship, found in the South China Sea; the Tek Sing, 1822—a three-masted Chinese junk, found north of Java; the Desaru, c.1830—a Chinese vessel, found in Malaysian waters; and the S.S. Republic, 1865—an American side-wheel steamship, found off the coast of Georgia.

Additional works in the Museum's collection by Diane KW can be found here.