Cup - "Hartford Asylum" c. 1936

This cup, titled "Hartford Asylum" and made by Helmut Hiatt, shows an image of institutional architecture depicted in monochromatic tones. The making of a cup like this is a process, an idea of repetition and an exercise in freehand that allows for a unique rendering of the original site. The texture here feels smooth, glazed, like it would be cool to the touch, a material fact which jars slightly against the implied emotional weight of the image depicted. Running your finger along the rim, the transition from pattern to scene is quite abrupt, and the floral motifs clash with the building’s rigid geometry. The way the columns are rendered is quite charming, so many, all slightly different like soft teeth. What does it mean to drink from this? It is a strange juxtaposition, high tea at the asylum. Like the work of outsider artist, Martin Ramirez, Hiatts’ work embraces a kind of repetition and architectural motif which is incredibly compelling.