Art: Glenn Barkley

Lives: Redfern, Sydney; Berry, NSW. Age: 45. Represented by: Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney; Niagara Galleries, Melbourne; Mindi Solomon Gallery, Miami.

His thing. Eccentric, brightly coloured ceramics and works on paper.

Our take. Curators are often accused of being frustrated artists. Glenn Barkley, a former senior curator at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art, is one of the few who has managed to cross the invisible line separating the art world's primary producers from its gatekeepers. Barkley has made his mark in the once-unfashionable domain of ceramics, a field that has begun to make inroads into the contemporary art scene even as it sacrifices its traditional emphasis on technique.

For many studio potters, Barkley's works are an abomination. They are unashamedly wonky, brightly coloured, and encrusted with curious decorations. There is also a literary aspect, as in a pot titled Archaeology (after W.H. Auden). Such an abundance of visual "noise" puts Barkley at the other end of the spectrum from the still, silent presence sought by more conventional potters.

imayimightimust is Barkley's first show with Sullivan+Strumpf, thought by many to be the coolest gallery in Sydney right now. The title is borrowed from American poet Marianne Moore and refers to the artist's compulsive working habits. Although Barkley may lack technical finesse, one need only look at his growing body of work to recognise his infatuation with ceramics.