Textured Vase

Stoneware・Hand-thrown・Wood-fired

Uneven drying of the raw stoneware is responsible for the alluvial texture on this wood-fired vase from artist Lin Ming Ci. After throwing and trimming, the body of the vase is hit with a torch, drying and shrinking the surface of the clay in contrast to the rest of the vessel. Filled with wildflowers, it reads like an earthen path, stalks and buds poking tenaciously through the soil.

This vase hails from a small series of pots by a husband and wife pottery in Miaoli, Taiwan. While the collective work of this couple has distinct through lines, there are nonetheless discernible nuances that speak to each artist’s unique hand. It’s in this attention to detail, from both the maker and the user of each vessel, that the beauty of hand-crafted pottery is illuminated.

Approximate dimensions: 210mm tall, 140m diameter・Artist: 林明賜