Fossil Teapot (Primary Title)
Michelle Erickson, American, born 1960 (Artist)
"My approach has always challenged traditional explanations and conceptions about pre-industrial ceramics and the methods used to create them. I have sought to find the original language of the artifact itself to make a tangible connection to the present." —Michelle Erickson
Erickson is internationally recognized for her mastery of lost ceramic arts from the 17th and 18th centuries. Her contemporary work makes use of their arcane techniques to create historical narratives about political,social, and environmental issues, both past and present. In Fossil Teapot, the shell and fossil refer to the 18thcentury discovery of marine fossils by British scientists. The gas pump handle symbolizes fossil fuels, and the skull—painted withbullets, bones, and guns—transforms the whole into a contemporary memento mori—a reminder of the consequences of human folly and worldly ways.
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