Ceramic objects can have to distinct and overlapping functions: UTILITY and MEANING

UTILITY refers to the object's utilitarian function.

For example: the mug's utilitarian function is to contain a cup of coffee, to be insulated enough to keep it hot, to have a handle to hold that does not burn your hand, to have a crisp enough drinking edge that the coffee does not dribble down your chin.

MEANING refers to the object's personal, cultural, political, spiritual, familial significance.

For example: my mom has a mug that she drinks her coffee from every morning, that used to belong to her mother (my grandmother). My grandmother worked at a bank, and she drank her coffee from that mug every morning at the bank. My mother misses my grandmother terribly, but she takes comfort in those warm sips of coffee from that special mug every morning.

This is a TWO PART assignment.

1.). You will analyze the work of another ceramic artist, or a genre of historic/cultural ceramic artwork (for example: Japanese tea bowls, Pueblo water jugs...) and you will respond to to the UTILITY and the MEANING within the chosen piece.

For contemporary works: Find the artist's website and read their ARTIST STATEMENT. An artist statement is a statement of purpose about the artist's work, usually addressing the whole unified body of their work rather than a particular object.

For historical/cultural works: do a little research!

2.) You will analyze an object from within your own life and/or home. It does not need to be a ceramic object. Any object which serves the dual function of UTILITY and MEANING will work great for this assignment (examples: a ski pole, a tool, a piece of furniture.)

For BOTH 1 and 2, use as much descriptive detail as possible for both UTILITY and MEANING. Think about the way that you hold and use the object, and all of the details that make it excel at its particular purpose (I could go on and on and on about the particular grip on my ski pole, haha!). And for the meaning, consider as much as possible about the personal, cultural, spiritual, political and/or familial significance at play.

Here is a list of historical/ cultural ceramics that you may choose from, but it is not limited. You may go beyond this list.

Links to Contemporary Ceramic Artists:

You may create this assignment as either a Google Doc or Google Slides, including images of the works. Please email your finished work to me by Friday. :-)