Ceramics Analysis

For the first assignment, I read two excerpts from Ceramics Art and Perception and one article from Ceramics Technical, the July 2017 edition. While each article focused on a different aspect of ceramics.

The first article I read from Ceramics Art and Perception, discussed a Japanese exhibit. “Two Views: Japanese Kogei, Future Forward At Museum Of Arts and Design, New York” by Jan Castro, pages 56-61.

When flipping through the magazine the porcelain skulls of Katsuyo Aoki instantly caught my attention and were the reason for me choosing this article. The author, Castro, talks about the skulls having headgear and fangs, which I did not pick up when first looking at them. However, I do see the gothic style he mentions in these sculptures. It’s clear these pieces are very modern, but yet I can still see the Japanese style in them. They sort of remind me of the dragons one would find in asian art.

I didn’t like that the article was structured piece by piece.

It would have been interesting to start the article discussing the exhibit as a whole to get a wide focus and then narrow done on each piece. It was unclear why all these pieces were grouped together. The writing itself seemed like it was speaking to professionals in the industry, so it didn’t appeal to me.

Next I read “The Primeval Comic Book” by John Hughes, pages 76-79 from Ceramics Art and Perception. This article was fun to read because it was a story. It read like a children’s fable. It was a clever and interesting way to reveal a real insight into what the artist, Jenny Orchard, believes in, which gives meaning to her creations. I’m sure there aren’t many artists using clay to make creations like hers, so it’s beneficial for her to share her story of how these ideas came to life.

Then under the Ceramics Technical part of the magazine, I read the article, “From Bizen to Iowa: The Modern-day Pilgrimage” by Cate Barker, pages 52-57. Rather than discussing a piece, this article spoke of a cultural

experience.

I think it’s great that these Japanese artists would come share their knowledge and expertise in Iowa. From all they know about Bizen pottery, it’s great that they are keeping their traditions alive, but also sharing them with other communities. It also gives an insight into how ancient communities could have been brought together by sharing techniques as well. I can see how the fire kiln could bring people together now. People were able to learn from each other and share something they all love.