In the Round: Vessels and Sculpture from RAM’s Collection

January 26  – July 30, 2022
at Racine Art Museum

Kevin Snipes
Numb Skull, 2012
Glazed porcelain
8 1/2 x 4 x 3 1/2 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of David and Jacqueline Charak
Photography: Jon Bolton

By its very definition, sculpture is multi-sided and intended to be seen from various angles. Even when not placed so that it can be viewed from all sides, sculpture is still the articulation of an idea on multiple planes, not a flat representation. In the Round plays with this idea by showcasing artwork that is best understood when contemplated from more than one perspective—pieces whose stories and designs unfold as a viewer actively engages in exploring the whole thing.

Pursuing the desire to investigate ideas, stories, and patterns in sculptural form, many of the artists included encourage extended contemplation of works whose sides and backs are as integral to the overall as their fronts. Indeed, for some pieces, there may not be an obvious point of visual entry or departure. On a metaphorical level, these works showcase the value of considering multiple points of view.

Several of the pieces are based on functional vessels—teapots, vases, and bowls—but few are intended for actual use. Those that do not reference functional shapes eliminate questions of practicality and further reinforce the status of these objects as a means of generating reflection.

Drawn from RAM’s collection and made primarily of ceramic and glass, these pieces provide compelling, layered narratives, and engaging design. Several works, such as the vessels by Kevin Snipes and the potters of the Mexican town of Mata Ortiz, are new to RAM’s collection and making their debut in this exhibition.

More About the Exhibition

Exhibition Notes (PDF)

Press Room

Artists in the Exhibition

Chris Antemann, Emily Brock, Joy Cain, Edward S. Eberle, Misty Gamble, Peter Gourfain, Gloria Hernandez, Sergei Isupov, Georgia Dewakuku Koopee, Anne Kraus, Ellen Lanyon, John Conrad Lewis, Lucy M. Lewis, Michael Lucero, Phillip Maberry, Florence Naranjo, Larry Page, Mark Peiser, Javier Pérez, Marva Lee Pitchford-Jolly, Ginny Ruffner, Mark Shapiro, Richard Shaw, Preston Singletary, Kevin Snipes, Paul Stankard, Akio Takamori, Dorothy Torivio, Bertil Vallien, Chela Veloz, Gerry Wedd, and Kurt Weiser