Jordan McDonald: Material Memory
Schedule
Sat Mar 28 2026 at 06:00 pm to 08:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
1525 N American St #105 | Philadelphia, PA
About this Event
To inaugurate the 2026 program at Studio 105, RAY presents Jordan McDonald: Material Memory, a solo exhibition by Philadelphia-based ceramic artist Jordan McDonald featuring a new body of work developed in conversation with the city’s architectural and creative history.
Through careful research, the exhibition revisits traditions that have shaped Philadelphia’s craft and built environment. McDonald looks to historic terracotta techniques found throughout the city, including those seen around Rittenhouse Square, which are currently being revived through workshops across Philadelphia. The work also draws on the ceramic tradition of slip trailing, a decorative technique in which liquid clay is applied to create raised lines, dots, and patterns across a surface. Glazes reference the palettes and textures of Philadelphia’s brickmaking traditions.
The exhibition also reflects on the legacy of Violet Oakley, the Philadelphia-born painter, muralist, abolitionist, and activist whose work helped shape the region’s artistic landscape. Oakley’s murals in Harrisburg’s City Hall, along with paintings found throughout Chestnut Hill and at the Woodmere Museum of Art, serve as important points of reference within McDonald’s work.
Visitors to Studio 105 can expect a thoughtful presentation of ceramic works that bring these historical references into the present. Through attention to material, craft, and place, Material Memory continues McDonald’s ongoing engagement with the architectural and artistic traditions that shape Philadelphia.
ABOUT JORDAN MCDONALD
Jordan McDonald is a Canadian-born, Philadelphia-based ceramic artist whose practice is rooted in research and craft traditions. His work can be found in notable public and private collections including the Gardiner Museum in Toronto and the Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taipei.
McDonald has taught ceramics at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and the Lunenburg School of the Arts in Nova Scotia. He studied ceramics at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario before receiving his BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and his MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.
Where is it happening?
1525 N American St #105, 1525 North American Street, Philadelphia, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
