Tubby 2011

Kenneth Price made this ceramic sculpture, ‘Tubby’, at an unknown date. I like the way the making process is left visible in this piece, with the slight imperfections and the layering of materials adding to its charm. The surface of ‘Tubby’ is wonderfully tactile, I want to pick it up and hold it! The texture is created by the speckles of yellow paint which sit on the purple form. These colors create a slightly jarring contrast, but it really works. The shape of the sculpture is blob-like, and there are a few small rounded forms which extend upwards, like small fingers. There's something really strange about the surface, it's hard to tell if it's matte or glossy. There's something about the way Price plays with abstraction that puts me in mind of Ron Nagle's work, another west coast artist who's work has been significant for me. Both artists remind us that art is all about a back and forth, an ongoing discussion between artists across time.