Vase 1890 - 1905

This vase was made by George Ohr, an American ceramicist around the turn of the 20th century. What strikes us first is the vase’s unusual form – it seems almost precariously balanced, with a cylindrical top resting on a bulbous base. Its materiality adds to this sense of unease; the clay has a mottled, earthy tone that evokes organic processes. Ohr was fascinated by the potential of clay to express dynamism. The vase embodies the tensions between control and chance, stability and precariousness. The glazes further emphasize this, pooling and dripping in unpredictable ways. Ultimately, this vase is more than a functional object; it is an experiment in form and material, one that continues to challenge our expectations of what a vessel can be. It invites us to reconsider the relationships between art, nature, and human intervention.