Beer pot by Zulu

Beer pot c. mid 20th century

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ceramic, sculpture

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ceramic

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form

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geometric

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sculpture

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ceramic

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decorative-art

Dimensions: 14 x 16 in. (35.56 x 40.64 cm)

Copyright: Public Domain

This beer pot was made by a Zulu artist, and I’m immediately drawn to the hand-worked quality of the piece. You can really feel the artist's engagement with the material! The surface is a field of texture; lines have been etched with what looks like a sharp tool. The contrast is striking: the smooth, dark areas against the light, roughened textures where the artist has worked. I love the band of geometric shapes. Triangles and rectangles, filled with cross-hatched lines, contrast against what look like stylized leaves. The shapes are outlined in dark relief. I find my eye drawn to these bold shapes, this confident mark-making! It reminds me of the drawings of Paul Klee. There’s a similar sense of play and exploration of form. But here, we also have this beautiful, tactile object. In a way, it's a fusion of art and life, with function and beauty intertwined. What a reminder that art is, above all, about process and communication.

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minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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