Untitled 

Christian Royal, born in 1993, crafted this untitled piece, a leaf-shaped ceramic plate with a glossy, vibrant green glaze. The design is classic, recalling nineteenth-century majolica ware, with a realistic leaf design and a tactile form that invites handling. It prompts us to consider how contemporary craft revives and reinterprets historical styles. Is Royal simply replicating a familiar form, or is there a more complex engagement with the past at work here? In particular, green-glazed ceramics were popular during the Industrial Revolution, when people were becoming detached from nature. Royal's work could be interpreted as social commentary about the nature of our nostalgia. To understand this piece, one could research the history of ceramics and consider how studio craft operates today as a form of artistic expression. How does Royal's piece fit into a broader conversation about the role of art in reflecting and shaping our understanding of culture?