Reassessment of Beauty

In pursuit of beauty, we have changed its definition to better understand art. Beauty became relating the human condition to one another. It appears that beauty is no longer understood as an outward appearance but the content of the subject. The pyschology, sociology, and philosophy of the 2oth century has allowed us to completely break free from shallow appreciations of form and color. This new age of art brings forth the conditions of our society. It also brings up questions of our concerns about our habits, both personal and social. From pollution, foreign wars, health care, job security, and religious conflict, art has taken on a new responsibility to report on the experiences we face in this age of uncertainty and potential gain. In order for us to experience beauty through form, we must be able to appreciate one another's concerns through their art. Meaning, we must relate one way or another to the piece through a relavent self-invention of its meaning.

Ceramics - An Age Old Tradition Refined

Ceramics possess so much beauty. It makes one's heart become fluttered with anticipation. Its surface and color become so tangible, it's almost irresistible to touch. Its rawness becomes ordered into submission and becomes a work of art.
Ceramics has been used since ancient times and respected by historians as a fine arts form, from sculpture to pottery. Some cultures have been recognized for their pottery as well as sculpture and paintings. The one thing I believe that contemporary sculpture lacks is the necessity for craftsmanship as well as the realm of painting for that matter. I suppose ceramics doesn't either, but it is uncommon. We are in a different age though. Psychology and philospohy influenced many of the advances in contemporary art. And thus eliminated the need for constraints of a defined, recognizable shape. Perhaps it is this reason that ceramics subconsciously seems to fly below the radar.
Ceramics started out in the Bay Area during the early 60's as the Funk Art movement. Since then it has had wide acclaim and has continued to gain momentum. I am glad to see that ceramics has been incorporating multi-media to enhance it's potential and credibility. The ceramics coming out of the Midwest, as well as other nontraditional places, brings unthought of possibilities to clay. My personal belief is that the next movement in clay will come from the Midwest as artists continue to take up contemporary thought in clay . The trend takes on contemporary sculptural qualities and very conceptual content. Although ceramics is deeply rooted in craftsmanship, it is this quality that will continue to draw in talented craftsmanship oriented artists to the medium.

An Extremely Subject Word

"Beauty, which I admit to being in pursuit of, is an extremely subject word among many in the art world. But I don't think you can get along without it. It's a confirmation, frankly, of meaning in life."
-Robert Adams