‘Moon Cassandra’ – Christine Kaiser
Obscuriosities
It’s always gratifying to view a piece that was born out of pure artistic abandon, without a hint of restraint, following raw instinct beyond any deliberate desire to adhere to a path of coherence in the narrative. Different forms of modern art, through manipulating perceived reality, arouse attention and fascination. Abstract art quite often relies on shape and color to convey its emotional message, while forwarding the challenge of either embracing it in its entirety or focusing on the patterns and details. Cubist styles always provide plenty of information to ruminate over and analyze, with its unified composition of various perspectives and simplified forms. The futurist artists contemporized their art with cubist elements, while at the same time glorifying the machine age and motion which created an interesting visual mix. The surrealists generally always are a source of visual diversity with their scope of warped presentations of reality and themes to captivate the imagination.
Ralph Bacerra – 1991
Everson Museum of Art Collection — Photo – John Polak
Sometimes an art piece carries a particular visual message which is obvious. Other times it can be interpreted in a multitude of ways, which in itself can add to its appeal, and only through consideration of its title is it possible to decipher its message. Or conversely, the title gives nothing away and its meaning is open to interpretation for eternity. At times the artist doesn’t know themselves and have just channeled some impression deep from their inner realms. It can take shape to reflect a cathartic release of repressed emotions or can also be just some wacky whimsical journey. Sometimes the artist takes the trouble to elucidate the motive behind a piece of their art and the reason for certain imagery, to reveal surprising details. Then again, an added title can confuse the issue even more.
Obscurio is a term I use for pieces that arouse curiosity but have their meaning obscured, either by vague, incongruous visuals, lack of information in the title or deliberate concealment. Cryptic messages can exist that can only be unraveled with the use of clues, symbols and inner knowledge. Maybe there is no message intended, which gives no respite to the inquisitive, prying mind, forever trying to intellectually construct a framework of understanding and appraisal. Just as an artist lets go to manifest their creation, sometimes its easier to traverse the same process and embrace the spirit of the work, while suspending too much concern for analaysis. Presented here is an assortment of oddities and obscurios that can be pondered for a myriad of reasons.
Amber Aguirre figurine – handbuilt porcelain, 2012
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
photo John Polak
Circus performer – Hermien Buytendijk
Groningen, Netherlands
1948
Galerie T
‘Red Shimmy’ – Kathy Butterly – porcelain 1997
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
photo John Polak
‘Snail With a Maze’ – Anya Stasenko and Slava Leontyev
Robj orientalist incense burner
Viola Frey
Faye Nakamura — Oregon Potters
African Renaissance Monument
Dakar, Senegal
Bronze statue – 49 metre height
Hermien Buytendijk, Netherlands
“Mother of Pearl Butterfly” – Irina Zaytceva
Jane Sauer Gallery
Alex Johanson
Liling Ceramic Museum, China – Archea Associati
Each volume takes the shape of a sculpted vessel or vase
Designboom
Liling Ceramic Museum, China
Bowl buildings – Liling Ceramic Museum, China
Kinetic sculpture by Jean Tinguely & Niki de Saint Phalle, France
‘Ayahuasquera’ made by master glass artists, Banjo, WJC & Joe Peter
Lidded Beverage Dispenser by Albert Thiry
Sam Kaufman, LA
Guido Gambone, Italy
‘Nightfall’ – Richard MacDonald
Bronze Edition of 23 x 12 x 10 inches
2008
Luciano Polverigiani
‘Over the edge’ – Amanda Shelser
2014
‘Woman with Hat’ – Pablo Picasso – Sheet metal cubist sculpture
National Museum of Modern Art – Georges Pompidou Center, Paris
1961
Penny Byrne
Penny Byrne transforms vintage porcelain figures and other found objects into work that makes a humorous or political statement.
Penny Byrne, Melbourne, Australia
Robert Hudson
via What Nerve! Alternative Figures in American Art, 1960 to the Present – RISD Museum of Art/D.A.P.
‘Thoth & Green Girl’ — Lisa Osborn at Barrister’s Gallery
Lisa Osborn’s mostly human size clay figures radiate pathos, but their meaning is up to us. Many suggest tragic figures from the dark fantasy realms of Mary Shelley or Edgar Allen Poe
‘Tall Black’ – Rimas VisGirda
Geometric Xantolo mask from Huasteca, Hidalgo, Mexico
”Forest Blues’ by Laura Jean Mclaughlin – white earthenware, slips, glazes
Gravity defying floating bonsai garden by Hoshinchu
Designbloom
‘Femme et enfant’ – Marc Perez
2009
Oswald Tieberghien, 1950’s
Height 43 cm.
‘Dos Ojos’ – Andy Nassisse
ceramic bust, 9 x 9 x 23 inches
Large twin handled ceramic vase by Accolay, France
Gueridon, Brooklyn, USA
Height 14-inches
Ceramic Wall Panel Sculpture – Fernand Leger
1947
‘Moods of Time’ by Paul Manship
Life Magazine
‘The Uncrossable Upswept Bridge’ – Keiichi Tanaami
Art Basel Hong Kong
photo EPA
Judy Moonelis (Two Figures in a Boat),
1982
‘Preying Mantis’ – Jordan Sprigg, Western Australia
Collaborative Sculpture installation, raku fired ceramic figures, head sculpture, standing figure sculptures, bronze head sculpture
Whispering Voices, in- Greenpoint Brooklyn
‘Optically Addicted’ by H,R,Giger
‘Birth Machine Baby Aluminum’ – H,R,Giger
Contemporary sculpture based on Soviet Constructivism
Graduates of the University of Western Australia
Portapianta head jar, Sicily
Roger Capron
Gallery Thomas Fritsch
Vintage Mexican Folk Art Carved Wood Spanish Conquistador Gonzalo Guerrero
Alexey Illarionov
Terracotta Labyrinthos Angel, c.1896
Watts Chapel Uk
photo © Jeff Saward
‘Down to the River’ — Laura Jean McLaughlin
Alex Johanson
The Aids Monster – Sculpture by Sfiso Mvelase (Sculptor) and Wiseman Ndlovu (Painter)
2011
Ardmore Ceramic Art
Roger Capron
Taehoon Kim
Large fish sculpture by Sylvan Bongard , Portugal
Sunkoo Yuh
Face Off, Egypt
The relocation of a Abu Simbel temples in Nubia, Egypt, between 1964 and 1968
Heracles and Geryon on an Attic black-figured amphora with a thick layer of transparent gloss, and a peace dove?
c. 540 BC
Munich State Collection of Antiquities.
Intriguing wind kinetic metal sculptures from Anthony Howe
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