The New Yorker
"Feats of Clay" Ken Price's Ceramic Art. By, Peter Schjeldahl
Breaking the rules along side Peter Voulkos, Ken Price truly represented a pivotal trend setter within the world of ceramics. He deified traditional forms of glaze techniques, pushing the limits of acceptability within academic environments. What university professors deemed traditional or the right way, Ken Price broke those rules while exploring color and its relationship within sculptural ceramics. Turning his mind away from conventional glaze techniques, Price developed a new approach by applying acrylic paint and industrial lacquers to the surface of his ceramic vessels. By doing so, his ceramic forms turned into a canvas for color application, he was able to achieve an entirely new vibrant color pallet with paint (that glaze can not offer). After reading this article, I began to wonder about the rights and wrongs within art and craft, or in other terms what is socially expected from potters. Come to think about it, I'm sure Price and Voulkos didn't think too much about social expectations. While striving for that perfection within ones art, one may have to break those conventional rules. Even if these rules are established by the teachers, it may benefit ones self to think outside the box and explore.
Logan,
ReplyDeleteI am curious as to why paint can offer such a vibrant color palette that "glaze cannot offer." What do you think makes paint so successful are creating a color that is full of energy in a way that glaze is lacking? I think that there are so many different and vibrant possibilities with glaze that can be created. And that glaze has so much more to it than a flat layer of paint, don't you think?
i do! trust me, the vast rage of glaze combinations is quite incredible, and beautiful, i just think the ability the artist reached with paint was quite incredible and unique. i think it is just how the artist uses a new medium that i found interesting.
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