Someone’s Cup of Tea: Contemporary Teapots from RAM’s Collection

August 7, 2020 – July 25, 2021

Over 20 years, Racine Art Museum has built one of the largest public collections of contemporary artist-made teapots in the United States. With over 500 pieces—mostly made of clay yet also including metal, fiber, and other media—there are a number of artists, subjects, and techniques represented. The 45 teapots included in this Windows on Fifth Gallery exhibition are shining examples of a modern take on tradition.

Interested in the past while looking to investigate and innovate, contemporary artists sometimes use the teapot form specifically because it is both easily understood and ripe for experimentation. By drawing on a familiar object, they can connect with others fairly easily—even if they ultimately upend expectations or specific notions about how a teapot should look or what it does. A summary presentation of RAM’s teapots, this exhibition highlights a few common subject areas as well.

These themes are represented through diverse styles and techniques by artists from across the US. The teapots featured in Someone’s Cup of Tea reflect a general interest in analyzing the past and a particular interest in exploring the idea of form and function.

ARTISTS IN THE EXHIBITION
Nancy Y. Adams, Adrian Arleo, Jerry Berta, Chris Berti, Nancy Carman, Tom Coleman, Carmen Collell, Annette Corcoran, Michael Corney, Paul Dresang, Jack Earl, Ken Ferguson, Keiko Fukazawa, Susan Garson-Pakele, Sally A. Gaynor, John Glick, Elena Gorbachevski, Oleg Gorbachevski, Mary Lou Higgins, Anne E. Hirondelle, Coille McLaughlin Hooven, Patrick Horsley, Jeff Irwin, Sergei Isupov, Cindy Kolodziejski, Ah Leon, Tim Mather, Dennis Meiners, Jenny Mendes, Richard Milette, Jeffrey Oestreich, Tom Pakele, Leslie Rosdol, Red Weldon Sandlin, Adrian Saxe, Mark Shapiro, Richard Shaw, Peter Shire, Victor Spinski, Tim Storey, Akio Takamori, Joan Takayama-Ogawa, Claudia Tarantino, Susan Thayer, Patti Warashina, Kurt Weiser, and Minako Yamane-Lee