WHAT CAME FIRST, THE BIRD OF HAPPINESS OR THE EGG
THE IMPORTANCE OF EXHIBITING CERAMICS

For artists, it is always important to present their work through exhibitions, especially solo exhibitions. At the solo exhibition “What Came First, the Bird (of Happiness) or the Egg”, visitors experience the artist’s body of work as a whole, rather than as a single piece lost among others. A solo exhibition is also a form of recognition that the artist has reached a level of maturity and distinctiveness that justifies occupying an entire exhibition space. It allows the artist to guide visitors through a story. For the artist, it is also a deeply personal experience, as she opens her inner world and shares it with the audience.

MOTIFS IN LAURA’S EXHIBITIONS

The Birds of Happiness have so far been the central motif in the work of ceramic artist Laura Rainbow. This latest exhibition, already through its title, suggests a play on words and the artist’s reflection on the timeless question of what came first in an endless cycle of transformation. This time, inspired by the awakening of nature, the approaching Easter holiday, and the tradition of decorating eggs, Laura explores questions of cycles through a visual meditation.

WHAT CAME FIRST, THE CERAMIC BIRD OF HAPPINESS OR THE CERAMIC EGG

Every Bird of Happiness carries within it the memory of the egg from which it emerged, and every egg contains the potential of a bird. What came first? The egg is a symbol of beginnings, the potential of something that does not yet exist but may come into being. The bird that emerges becomes a symbol of free transformation and self realization. Both birds and eggs are part of an endless cycle of transformation.

At this time of year, a time of awakening and new beginnings, we also celebrate Easter, a holiday that symbolizes renewal and hope for a better way of being. Its symbolism is strongly connected to decorated eggs. The question for the visitor is whether the ceramic eggs have naturally joined the Birds of Happiness in spreading good energy and hope for new beginnings, or whether the egg truly came first.

CERAMICS, BIRDS OF HAPPINESS AND THE STORY OF TRANSFORMATION

Ceramic artist Laura Rainbow plays with scale. Unexpectedly, the small Birds of Happiness belong to the same flock and are created in the same nest as the larger eggs. In this sense, they represent unrealized great potential. At the same time, large birds sometimes produce small eggs. They have fulfilled their own potential, but leave little behind.

Ceramics, with its transformation from soft and pliable clay, through a dry and fragile state, into a strong and lasting form shaped by fire, is the perfect medium for expressing cycles of transformation. Through a visual meditation on cycles, from life to death and back to rebirth, the artist explores the eternal question. What came first, the Bird of Happiness or the egg? Come and find your answer, or perhaps realise that the question itself is the answer.

A ceramic Bird of Happiness that captures your attention can be a perfect gift for yourself or for anyone who appreciates art objects with a soul.

EXHIBITION FOREWORD
“What Came First, the Bird (of Happiness) or the Egg”

With the exhibition titled “What Came First, the Bird (of Happiness) or the Egg”, the artist Laura Rainbow presents a new series of works gathered under a suggestive title. It reflects both her artistic development and the timeless question of beginnings. Laura Rainbow is a Zagreb based artist and ceramicist, and this is her third solo exhibition at the gallery of the Croatian Association of Artists.

THE BIRDS OF HAPPINESS AS THE CENTRAL MOTIF

The Birds of Happiness are the central motif of Laura Rainbow’s artistic expression, a motif she has been developing for six years. It originally emerged as her response to the restriction of human freedom. Observing people deprived of freedom, she became aware of how essential freedom is for human happiness. Her ceramic birds, freely moving through the world, became Birds of Happiness. From the moment she created the first one, this motif has remained at the centre of her work. As many of them find new homes over time, she continues to create new flocks in new styles, exploring different visual expressions.

Although the bird marked the beginning of her professional artistic path, this year she introduces the motif of the egg as well. The egg becomes a symbol of beginnings, creation and birth, as well as a reference to Easter through the tradition of decorating eggs. The relationship between a being and its egg reflects transformation and the continuous cycle between what was and what is yet to come. In this way, the artist connects her visual motifs with the nature of the medium itself. Clay also undergoes transformation in the artist’s hands, from soft and pliable, through fragile and sensitive, to a solid form that reaches its full potential through artistic shaping.

APPROACHING SCULPTURE LIKE A PAINTER’S CANVAS

Laura Rainbow’s approach to form is distinctive because she treats each group of works individually. She approaches sculpture in a similar way to a painter approaching a canvas. Each flock is decorated using different techniques that do not aim to imitate reality, while the form itself remains simplified and stylised into volumes that suggest the shape of a bird.

She builds the final appearance gradually, starting with modelling in red clay or porcelain paperclay, adding texture through engraving, drawing, collage and imprinting, and then introducing colour through engobes or soft, watercolour like layers. Many of the techniques she uses come from drawing and painting, which is unusual for a three dimensional medium. In the final stage, she experiments with different firing techniques, from traditional methods to saggar and raku firing.

She also plays with scale, so small birds are sometimes created alongside larger eggs within the same group. In this context, they represent unrealised great potential, while large birds that produce small eggs symbolise fulfilled potential that does not leave a strong continuation.

A WORK THAT STANDS OUT

While most of the birds and eggs are small in scale, one work stands out within the exhibition. It is a bust decorated with motifs that form the core of the entire concept. Although the question of what came first is raised, the whole idea originates from the artist herself, shaped by her creativity and developed through years of dedication to a single motif and medium.

Laura Rainbow explains that through this exhibition she reflects on the eternal question through a visual meditation on cycles, from life to death and back to rebirth. The title “What Came First, the Bird (of Happiness) or the Egg” becomes both a play on words and a reflection on the timeless question within an endless cycle of transformation.

Curator Saša Brkić Kristensen