Upright vase c. 1965

Curator: Standing before us is Janet Leach’s “Upright vase”, held in the Tate collection. Editor: My first impression is its sheer earthiness. The heavy texture and those muted browns evoke something primordial. Curator: Leach, who lived from 1918 to 1997, really elevated the ceramic process. The vase demonstrates a kind of raw materiality. You can almost feel the clay being worked. Editor: Exactly. And in its rough asymmetry, I see a quiet resistance to conventional notions of beauty. It feels… subversive. Curator: In Leach's work, you can trace the confluence of Eastern and Western craft traditions, challenging notions of ‘high’ art by focusing on utility and the inherent value of skilled labor. Editor: A potent reminder that art resides not just in galleries but in the everyday objects we create. Curator: Indeed, something to ponder as we move on. Editor: Absolutely.