Defining Pottery with Adam Field

Hi all!

I hope everybody is staying well during this busy finals time! We’re almost to the home stretch and remember to stay hydrated.

I have a deep fascination for pottery/ceramics because of its utility. Something so delicate can enhance the colors, textures and even temperatures of the food that is being placed on it. Ceramics are an important part of East Asian history and are universal, characterized by color, various technique and material. My grandmother has had her own European style tea cup collection that has grown so large it has now been divided between my mother and her two sisters. On the flip side, my mother’s most prized possession is a large “moon vase”, symbolic of Korean pottery. However, much of the worth that is attached to such work is from the artist themselves. One can visually see distinctions between different sets of pottery but when we start to discuss who invented what technique, it becomes a bit murky. Not only that but in an increasingly globalized world, we have others who have become aware of such artistry. Adam Field is an American artist who traveled to Korea to study the art of the onggi a traditional Korean pot that is is used to store the soy bean paste and other condiments. However, I always wondered what brought him towards such a fascination to want to look at Korean pottery specifically. It brings to mind the question about cultural merging, cultural appropriation and such. This odd need to identify things and place them in limiting boxes.

http://www.adamfieldpottery.com/