Vase c. 1925

Anton Kleiber made this vase, whereabouts unknown, sometime between 1874 and 1951, using ceramics. It's playful, right? The colors are almost cartoonish, but in a good way, like a naive fauvism. It really puts the process right out there. I love the way the glaze drips down the edges of each form. The yellow cone has this gloppy green border, almost like icing, whilst the orange cone has a kind of rough, textured feel, like stucco. The blue base is built up from these horizontal bands, separated by white lines, kind of like a Mayan pyramid gone rogue. The white cone is a more muted, almost pastel color, and it gives the whole piece some room to breathe. It reminds me a little of Miro, or maybe even some of the Memphis Group ceramics from the 80s, but with a kind of handmade, folksy vibe all its own. Art's always in conversation, isn't it? It's funny how one thing leads to another, and how something old can suddenly feel brand new again.