Conversing in Clay: Ceramics from the LACMA Collection
By pairing contemporary ceramic works with historical objects, this show at LACMA explores how the artists of today are reinventing traditional forms
This exhibition at the Los Angeles County of Museum of Art (until 21 May 2023) considers the history of ceramic art by placing contemporary artworks in dialogue with historical works in clay. Comprising 14 pairings drawn from LACMA’s collections, the exhibition reveals how the artists of today often refer to traditional ceramic practices. Nicholas Galanin’s large-scale installation I Dreamt I Could Fly (2013) – a comment on the persecution of Indigenous peoples in North America, made up of 60 suspended porcelain arrows – is juxtaposed with an 18th-century Dutch tobacco jar showing depictions of Indigenous North American stereotypes. Additional highlights include Steven Young Lee’s Jar with Tiger and Clouds (2019), a contemporary take on 18th-century Korean ceremonial vases that bears an illustration of the cereal mascot Tony the Tiger in place of the traditional dragon motif. Find out more on LACMA’s website.