Time For Tea: Contemporary Ceramic Teapots from the Racine Art Museum’s Collection

March 12 – September 3, 2015
at Dane County Regional Airport

David Regan
Hand Teapot, 2001
Glazed porcelain
Gift of Karen Johnson Boyd
Photography: Jon Bolton, Racine

The contemporary landscape of clay cannot be easily summarized except to say that it is fluid and full of examples of different approaches to an ancient material. In the mid-twentieth century, those working in clay purposefully pushed the boundaries of the medium, both literally and figuratively. Narrative, sculptural works and abstract, non-functional forms began to crop up in studios and galleries nationwide as artists explored the past, present, and future of a medium wrought with history. Simultaneously, potters and those creating functional work continued to do so—forging new paths and maintaining, even if modifying, traditions. Each of these approaches to addressing the teapot is well-represented in RAM’s collection.

Interested in the past but also 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 type of 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. While it would be a challenge to list all avenues of investigation, there are a few areas that are exemplified in RAM’s collection and this exhibition.

More About the Exhibition

Exhibition Notes (PDF)

Artists in the Exhibition

Ralph Bacerra, Clayton (George) Bailey, Jerry Berta, Martin and Judy Bibby, Marek Cecula, Michael Cohen, Annette Corcoran, Philip Cornelius, Paul (Anthony) Dresang, Jack Earl, Raymon Elozua, Ken (Kenneth) Ferguson, Patrick Horsley, Sergei Isupov, Randy (James) Johnston, Karen Karnes, Leslie B. Lee, Ah (Ching-Liang Chen) Leon, Michael Lucero, Warren MacKenzie, Louis Marak, Matt Nolen, Richard Notkin, Jeff Oestreich, Mark Pharis, David Regan, Mary Roehm, Red Weldon Sandlin, Adrian (A.) Saxe, Bonnie Seeman, Yoko Sekino-Bove, Mark Shapiro, Richard Shaw, Michael Sherrill, Joan Takayama-Ogawa, Irvin Tepper, George Walker, Jason Walker, Kurt Weiser, Beatrice Wood