Tall basket 1999

Editor: Here we have Jan McKeachie-Johnston's "Tall Basket" from 1999, a ceramic sculpture held here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I find it intriguing how this functional form—a basket—is transformed into a primarily decorative object through its exaggerated height and unusual colour. How do you interpret the formal elements at play here? Curator: Immediately, I observe the pronounced verticality of the piece, punctuated by a clear tripartite division. We see a bulbous base resolving into a constricted neck, from which emerges a soaring, almost attenuated handle. This careful manipulation of proportion creates a dynamic interplay between weight and lightness. Consider how the colour reinforces this effect: the earthy red deepens towards the bottom, lending it visual grounding. Editor: Yes, and that red is subtly shaded. Is there something intentional there, perhaps relating the texture of the material to the composition? Curator: Precisely. The glaze is not uniform; variations in tone articulate the sculpted ridges on the base. Note also the tactile quality – a sense of deliberate craftsmanship. It is clear that Johnston has focused on the fundamental aspects of form, texture and colour to produce a ceramic vessel that prompts an appreciation of shape and contour rather than everyday utility. How does the 'handle' figure into this abstraction, in your opinion? Editor: I suppose that its reaching apex reinforces that dynamic balance that you observed. Its exaggerated reach seems to deliberately contradict its intended purpose, thereby transforming the initial function into an exploration of shape and materiality. It's the objecthood that speaks, right? Curator: Precisely. I’m glad that this particular element spoke to you.