A new book describes ceramics as “‘a vibrant enabler of civilisation”. Modern art ceramics is diverse, “a contest between functionalism and aestheticism”. What links modern and ancient works is that the skill of the potter is paramount in determining the power of a piece. “One’s first instinct with a good Roman red-gloss pot is to eat it. Or at least lick it all over.”
An ambitious show on Iran’s artistic heritage somewhat obscured by writers and critics trying oh-so-hard to not cause offence. Iran’s culture is just as accomplished as that of Egypt – the first written records around 5000 years ago, political unification in 550BC, a flowering of Persian art around 1000AD. The writer’s summation is very clear– “The stuff is incredible … [contemporary works are] as vivid as the rest” A potted history of Iranian heritage is here.
Iron and steel are quintessentially modern materials and Smith was the master of their use in sculpture. His works tended to be modest rather than monumental, and often were painted to achieve a desired effect. Welded steel can seem old hat, now that assemblages predominate. That doesn’t diminish Smith’s development of 20th century modernism, something he achieved with nothing more than “manual labour, grit and a bit of magic”.