Bowl c. 201 - 700

This bowl was created by an artist from Michoacan using ceramic. The ceramic itself is quite coarse, with visible inclusions. It feels as though the clay was simply dug from the earth, processed by hand, and formed without a potter’s wheel. The bowl's decoration is equally simple. It's painted in a reddish-brown pigment, probably derived from iron oxide. The geometric designs have a pleasing, irregular quality. The lines waver, and the spaces between them aren't perfectly consistent. It speaks to the hand-made nature of the object. Considered alongside a factory-produced dish, this bowl prompts questions about labor, skill, and value. The bowl isn't perfectly identical, and the work that went into it is also visible. By considering the means of production, we can appreciate the artistry and cultural significance embedded within this humble object.