Square plate c. 20th century

Editor: So, this is Shimaoka Tatsuzo's "Square Plate," a ceramic piece from around the 20th century, currently residing at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The glaze is so thick, almost sculptural. What strikes you first about this piece? Curator: The heavy glaze and the grid pattern immediately speak to the industrialized craft movement of the time. Consider the artist’s labor, not just in forming the plate, but in the meticulous application of glaze. It challenges the preciousness often associated with art objects, doesn’t it? Editor: How so? Curator: By emphasizing the material and the repetitive, almost mechanical, nature of the surface design, it brings attention to the means of production. This isn't just a decorative plate; it's a commentary on the blurred lines between functional object and art, craft and industry. The wear and tear contribute as well. Editor: It definitely feels like something meant to be used, but carefully. Does the "worn" feel affect your materialist perspective? Curator: Absolutely. The 'worn' aspect further emphasizes the plate's life cycle - production, use, and eventual aging. This layering of process and experience, from the artist's hand to the consumer's table, embodies a social history absent in a purely aesthetic reading. The materiality speaks volumes about its place in daily life and changing values in craft production. Do you see that interplay as well? Editor: I think I'm beginning to. Seeing it as a historical object relating to shifting material production norms is interesting. It also has made me realize just how many people's labor went into making something as ‘simple’ as this plate! Thanks for making me think differently about the artist and his cultural context. Curator: Indeed. It is also a helpful way to challenge traditional distinctions that elevate painting above functional craft objects. It seems clear it all circles back to our current understanding of consumption.