Stem Cup c. 2500

This Stem Cup was made by the Longshan culture, with earthenware, sometime in ancient history. There's something mesmerizing about the surface of this piece, it's not just the color, but the texture - a sort of matte, almost velvety feel that invites you to reach out and touch it, though I'm sure we're not supposed to! The tiny perforations feel so deliberate, like the maker really thought about the relationship between positive and negative space, between solid form and airy lightness. Each little cut-out is like a brushstroke. The stem section seems to be where the artist really let loose, creating a lively rhythm of absences and presences. Looking at the whole form, I'm reminded a bit of Eva Hesse's sculptures, that share a similar blend of geometric abstraction and organic sensuality. Art is an ongoing conversation, isn't it? An exchange of forms, ideas, and feelings across time.