München Olympiade 1972

This is a commemorative plate made by De Porceleijne Fles marking the Munich Olympics. The cobalt blue on white is so distinctive and that combination of graphic information and decoration is so appealing to me. It is a great example of design in service of… well, in service of serving! What I like about this plate is the way the design elements sit on the surface and become a part of the object. The paint feels both on and in the plate itself; it is fired into the glaze, literally becoming the surface of the object. The painterly gestures and slight imperfections are important here. The petals of the flowers around the rim have a kind of carefree quality, like the artist was just having fun. It reminds me a little of the work of Picasso, who also made a lot of plates and ceramics, and was interested in embracing a similar sense of play and chance. It suggests that art is not so serious but rather a process of constant experimentation and revision.