Three Decades of West Coast Ceramics, 1956–1986 February 23–June 30, 2013
Ralph Bacerra, Platter, 1984, earthenware, the MFAH, Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio Collection, gift of Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio. © Estate of Ralph Bacerra
Robert H. Hudson, Jar, 1972, porcelain, the MFAH, Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio Collection, gift of Joan and Marvin Kaplan. © Robert Hudson
Howard Kottler, Pastoral Wood, c. 1972, the MFAH, Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio Collection, museum purchase with funds provided by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund. © Howard Kottler
Lucian Octavius Pompilli, Mare Te Ave, 1973, porcelain, sand, glass, and wood, the MFAH, gift of Caren Forbes, courtesy of Helen Drutt, Philadelphia. © Lucian Pompilli
Adrian Saxe, Untitled Covered Jar on Stand with Antelope Finial (Sacred Heart), 1984, porcelain, raku, and stoneware, the MFAH, Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio Collection, gift of Garth Clark and Mark Del Vecchio. © Adrian Saxe
Peter Voulkos, Platter, 1973, stoneware, the MFAH, the Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection, museum purchase with funds provided by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund. © Voulkos Family Trust
The years between 1956 and 1986 witnessed a fundamental shift in American ceramics, one that took place mainly on the West Coast in California and Washington. Freed from the constraints of making functional objects, ceramics artists began experimenting with abstract and figural forms, radical building techniques, and surface treatments. The resulting sculptural pieces were groundbreaking, and this search for a new aesthetic changed international ceramic art forever.
Key figures in this revolution were Robert Arneson and Peter Voulkos, who—while coming from different perspectives—established similar atmospheres of innovation at the programs they led in California. Their respective ethos spurred ceramics artists across the state and beyond to embrace this new philosophy, leading to a 30-year period of intense creativity that produced remarkable works of sculpture.
Three Decades of West Coast Ceramics, 1956–1986 showcases works from the rich MFAH collection of American ceramics made during this important period. Specifically, the exhibition focuses on teachers and students from seminal ceramics programs at four universities: the Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles; University of California, Davis; Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles; and University of Washington, Seattle.
National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
Three Decades of West Coast Ceramics, 1956–1986 is presented in conjunction with the 2013 NCECA conference, held in Houston. For information, click here.
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Generous funding is provided by:
Sara and Bill Morgan