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EXHIBITIONS:
JULY - SEPTEMBER, 2010 |
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 Richard Notkin Cube Skull Teapot: Tea Blood and Opium, 2002 Collection of the Artist |
 Unknown Artist Yixing Teapot, 20th Century Collection of John and Barbara Conrad |
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The
American Museum of Ceramic Art Presents
Ah Leon: “Memories
of Elementary School”
AMOCA presents Ah Leon, an international contemporary artist from Taiwan who merges Chinese Yixing traditions with his signature wood-textured trompe l’oeil style to form illusionistic installations. Originally trained as a painter at the National Academy of Fine Art in Taipei, Ah Leon became a master of the traditional Yixing style teapot; hand-built and unglazed in the prized purple clay stoneware from the southern part of Jiangsu Province in East China, where Chinese teapot production began in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE).
Ah Leon is well known for his installation of the Bridge, his most famous 68-foot handmade clay structure. His latest work on exhibit at AMOCA is titled, Memories of Elementary School, an installation of dilapidated school desks with his wood-like stoneware technique. Inspired by rustic Taiwanese wooden furniture, Ah Leon comments that “wood, much like clay itself, tells many stories like an ancient footprint.” Ah Leon’s installation emphasizes the surrealism of what it’s like to return to the past with an adult perspective. The desks personify the friends of his past; people from his home who have come back for reunion after 30 or 40 years to find the desks have aged or bear the same marks as those who once occupied them.
“We spent a lot of time sitting on these kinds of chairs and desks. We used them to write, draw, eat, sleep, dream, play and also to cheat! We miss the good times we had when growing up and realize it was the most enjoying time in our life. Now the furniture looks old and is rotting away, mimicking the way all of us become old with wrinkles. But when my friends reunite with these desks and chairs, they find and remember; their shadows are still there. Here in this installation, I have preserved them in clay.” – Ah Leon The Spirit of Yixing Tea Ware is part two of the exhibition displaying 100 Yixing teapots from the 18th century to the present. Some of these unglazed teapots were made to look like gourds, eggplant, or bamboo, and many have fanciful spouts and handles, often shaped to resemble dragons, frogs, or other transformative creatures. Interwoven with the ceramic teapots is the historic significance of tea culture, trade, and symbolism. These traditional variations are juxtaposed against the work of Richard Notkin, another contemporary ceramic artist known for his series of unglazed stoneware teapots which are reminiscent of Yixing wares circa 1500 AD to the present. Notkin’s teapot sculptures are inspired by history, politics and war. He consciously maintains a separate cultural identity, positioning his work as a vehicle for social commentary that "reflects the current dilemmas of our contemporary human civilization.” For over three and a half decades, his work has been exhibited internationally, and is in numerous public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; and Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan. Notkin's awards include three fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation. Additional Programming July Grand Opening Reception Sunday July 11, 10-4 p.m. Ah Leon Demonstration Workshop The workshop will include wheel-throwing and
hand-building techniques, including tips on making successful
teapots. He will present a PowerPoint lecture on his career
including Yixing teapot making techniques, contemporary innovations,
and his installation work. The workshop will begin at 10 a.m.
with a continental breakfast starting at 9 a.m. and conclude
with a tea ceremony. $85 fee (AMOCA members $65.) To purchase
a reservation, please call the museum at (909) 865-3146, extension
#103. Space is limited. August September Second Saturday Lecture Series Saturday September 25, 6-8:30 p.m. Members Only Event featuring a guest speaker and a live music performance. A light reception will follow. AMOCA members may bring two non-member guests. To R.S.V.P. please call the museum at (909) 865-3146, extension #103. Space is limited. |
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EXHIBITIONS:
MAY - JUNE |
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 Steve Horn Haniwa, 2010 |
 Stanton Hunter Un-tidaled, 2010 |
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kilnopening.edu
2010 Southern California Ceramic Instructors and their Students May 8 - June 26, 2010 Opening Artists’ Reception, Saturday May 8, 2010, 6-9 pmkilnopening.edu 2010 is an extensive exhibition of work created by Southern California college/university ceramic professors and selected advanced students. The exhibition also acts as a fundraiser to support both the artists and AMOCA’s ceramic educational programs. Everything on exhibit is for sale. The Opening Artists’ Reception will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 6-9 p.m. in conjunction with the Second Saturday Art Walk in Downtown Pomona’s Artist Colony. The featured guest artist is Professor Emeritus, John Conrad who taught ceramics at Mesa College in San Diego, California for thirty years. Conrad’s special area of research is the rare, Chinese, Sung Dynasty “Black Pearl” glaze that displays metallic crystals in black, silver and bronze. Presented in support of ceramic education, kilnopening.edu is a biennial exhibition which underscores the importance of college-level ceramic programs offered in the area and gives an opportunity to showcase local faculty members and students in a professional museum setting. From contemporary sculpture, experimental clay to traditional pottery, this exhibition identifies what’s happening now with clay in the academia of fine arts. kilnopening.edu 2010 is the first year that the exhibition is extended to two full months. Previously held for only 3 weeks, AMOCA has extended the dates to generate energy among faculty and students to give more time and opportunity to sell their work, and for the museum to hold a series of special events. These events include AMOCA’s May 29th symposium, Clay Now: An Artist and Educator’s Perspective on Current Issues in Art and a brand new Second Saturday Lecture Series beginning on June 12th featuring artist and educator Timothy John Berg, from Pitzer College. As an organization of vision, devoted to the arts, we believe that visual art experiences communicated through professional artists, workshops or gallery exhibitions, promote cross-cultural understanding and provide new perspectives and insights which enrich our lives. AMOCA provides exhibitions that honor the ceramic achievements of the past, and through community exhibitions like kilnopening.edu, we supply encouragement that will ensure the future of this magical medium. kilnopening.edu Events May Opening Artists’ Reception May 8, 2010, 6-9 p.m. in conjunction with Second Saturday Art Walk in Downtown Pomona’s Artist Colony. Live music, hors d'oeuvres and wine. Symposium Clay Now: An Artist and Educator’s Perspective on Current issues in Art May 29, 2010, 6pm - 8pm Join us and participate in a panel-led discussion and audience dialogue that will examine the challenges ceramic artists and educators face today. Due to the current economic crisis and budget cuts in the arts, ceramic programs have diminished or have been removed entirely. Composed of a diverse group of ceramic artists and educators who currently play a pivotal role in contemporary ceramics, this symposium is an opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue to identify the challenges of contemporary clay artists, educational approaches, teaching standards, relevance to multimedia, clay identity and criticism. Keynote panelists are: Timothy John Berg, Richard Burkett, Patsy Cox, Stanton Hunter, Tony Marsh, and Alison Petty-Ragguette. AMOCA’s Guest Moderator is Bill Bush, President and Co-founder of Gramercy Partners Inc. an award-winning marketing communications firm specializing in the arts, education and publishing. June Second Saturday Lecture Series featuring artist: Timothy John Berg June 12, 2010, 7pm - 8pm AMOCA’s brand new lecture series begins on Saturday, June 12th, and every Second Saturday in conjunction with the Pomona Art Walk. Artists and educators will give art talks starting at 7 p.m. Guest speaker Timothy Berg received his BFA magna cum laude from the University of Colorado in Boulder in 2000 and his MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2003. Currently Berg is a Professor at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. His recent exhibitions include a solo show at Dean Project in Long Island City, New York and a group show entitled Confrontational Ceramics in White Plains, New York. AMOCA Members-Only Event June 26, 2010, 1-3 p.m. Members, come join us and learn about image transfer techniques on clay! Famous for his paper litho-oxide image transfer technique, artist and educator Steve Horn will demonstrate, step-by-step how to transfer an image onto clay. Non-members are welcome to attend for $25. |
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EXHIBITIONS: JANUARY - APRIL
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Let's
Table This: A Survey of Tabletop Vessels from AMOCA's Permanent Collection January 23, 2010 - April 24, 2010 Grand Opening Reception, February 13, 6-9 pm Guest Co-Curators: Pomona, CA, AMOCA presents Let's Table This: A Survey of Tabletop Vessels from AMOCA's Permanent Collection, on exhibit from January 23 through April 24, 2010. AMOCA presents for the first time a full scale exhibition highlighting a selection of the permanent collection. The exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 12 - 5 p.m. The Grand Opening Reception will be held on February 13, from 6-9 p.m. with a pre-reception curator discussion with Jo Lauria and Dr. Billie Sessions beginning at 5 p.m. All opening reception events are in conjunction with the Second Saturday Art Walk in the Pomona Art Colony. This exhibition surveys the domestic space of the dining table and features nearly 150 functional ceramic works drawn from AMOCA's 1,000-piece permanent collection. Each piece selected in this landscape of tableware is called upon to fulfill its purpose of serviceability, hospitality, visual interest, and tactile pleasure. Elegant tea bowls and large platters influenced by traditional forms and glazes elevate the commonplace object of dinnerware to the level of creative expression. Teapots, tea cups, pitchers, and creamers that showcase whimsicality either in their shape or surface embellishment provide moments of punctuation and bring levity to the table setting. Plates, bowls, covered containers, and vases sporting riotous colors or decorative patterns serve as focal points and topics of conversation at the dinner table. Always playing to an audience, these domestic tabletop objects represent the civility, familiarity, and daily ritual of the dining experience. They also reflect on the long and rich history of functional pottery and celebrate the ceramic form for its sensuality of material and containment of meaning. As you can surmise from the exhibition description and the twist in its title, this survey will be a light-hearted, fun and festive approach to tabletop ceramic wares. The exhibition is co-curated by Jo Lauria, independent curator, decorative arts and design specialist, and author; and Dr. Billie Sessions, Emeritus Professor of Art, California State University, San Bernardino, author and ceramic art researcher. Both guest curators currently serve on the museumÆs Advisory Board. About AMOCA's permanent collection: Over the last five years the museum's permanent collection has been amassed from a number of sources. Some were large gifts comprised of numerous pieces, given by individuals or institutions. Some came from artists themselves while others were donated a piece or two at a time by individual collectors. Nearly half of the acquisitions are the result of a large donation from the American Ceramic Society, Spencer Davis/Ceramic Monthly collection. Other en-masse donors are James and Jackie Voell, Frieda Bradsher, and most recently, Bill Burke. EVENTS January Open to the public February Pre-reception discussion and walk through with
Co-Curators Jo Lauria and Dr. Billie Sessions Grand Opening Reception March Celebration Party: AMOCA's Appreciation for Museum
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SEPTEMBER
2009 - JANUARY 2010 |
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| AMOCA presents Harrison
McIntosh: A Timeless Legacy, from September 12 through January 9,
2010. The exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 12 - 9 p.m. during the second Saturday Art Walk in the Pomona Art Colony. The same evening McIntosh will celebrate his 95th birthday and AMOCA's 5th anniversary at the home of AMOCA founders, Julianne and David Armstrong. There AMOCA will host a gala celebration and birthday dinner party featuring Harrison McIntosh and wife Marguerite in person from 6-9pm. AMOCA presents this retrospective exhibition to honor the life and ceramic artwork of Harrison McIntosh, one of the best-known ceramic artists of the Pomona Valley and leader in the post-World War II Southern California crafts movement. Along with the history, culture, and lifestyle of this era, the exhibition features Harrison's beautifully crafted ceramic pottery and sculpture, recognized for its precision, perfect proportions, repetitive lines, and subtle, decorative graphic elements. McIntoshís introduction to ceramics included study with Glen Lukens, Marguerite Wildenhain, and Richard Petterson. These educators touted the fine art of craft, with emphasis on technique, design, and mastery of glazing skills. Marguerite Wildenhain, trained at the Bauhaus, insisted on strict methodological performance from her students, and Richard Petterson (Scripps College), intrigued by the Mingei folk art movement of Japan, introduced McIntosh to the traditions and aesthetic views of the East. Armed with these principles, McIntosh, along with fellow potter Rupert Deese, established a studio in nearby Claremont. While some ceramic artists of that time went on to follow the more extreme choice of abstract-expressionist ceramic art, McIntosh chose to pursue vessel-oriented forms, concentrating on craftsmanship and fine design. McIntosh stayed true to his personal vision, grounded in the vessel format with an unpretentious approach that can only happen when the potter is so familiar with the practice, so adept at the process, and so in tune with automatic actions that a higher form of intuitive response takes over. There is no need for force or control because the body knows the way. Simply put, McIntoshís mode of spontaneity is the antithesis of artifice. This exhibition is accompanied by a 100-page, full-color, hard-bound catalog highlighting his life and works, replete with essays by Christy Johnson, AMOCA Director, Martha Longenecker, Founder of the Mingei International Museum, and Marguerite McIntosh, Founder of the Claremont Museum of Art. In evaluating the accomplishments of Harrison McIntosh, it is helpful to place his ceramic career in context by elucidating the complex social, economic, and political factors that intersected in post-World War II Southern California. This was a time when returning soldiers, European war refugees, and job seekers flocked to the Los Angeles area in search of opportunity, a favorable climate, and promises of prosperity. The influx of people set the stage for an unprecedented housing boom that included tract-home construction; Modern design preferences; new, industrial-strength hi-tech materials; a casual life style; and inside/outside living areas. The comforts of home and family ushered in an era of conservative values, conformity, and a sense of optimism. And, as the middle-class population mushroomed, materialism and consumerism flourished. At the time, architecture was greatly influenced by progressive European building models, Bauhaus design concepts, advanced technology, and Southern California's need for immediate and affordable housing. These factors translated into a comparatively austere and streamlined building style, suitable for the warm climate and casual outdoor activities. Appropriate to the small-scale houses, architects compensated for the lack of actual space by creating the illusion of roominess through visual artifices. There was nothing East Coast about the style; nothing ostentatious, traditional, or classic; no heirlooms or antiques. The focus was on materials. Clean, squared lines abounded, glass walls erased boundaries, natural materials combined with molded plastics, and angular metal elements characterized the interiors; and, as if to add balance, hand-crafted accessories found their way into the mix. Blank walls, exposed beams, and bare surfaces provided ideal display spaces for woodworking, weaving, copper enamel, glass, and especially ceramics. The establishment of a "California Look" was sold nationwide. Magazines such as House Beautiful, under the leadership of Elizabeth Gordon, picked up on the hot, new style with articles on designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, and Harrison McIntosh. Arts and Architecture magazine used "Case-Study-Houses" to display ways that the Modern home could be constructed and furnished. Other venues such as the Pan Pacific Auditorium, the California Design shows at the Pasadena Art Museum, and the Los Angeles County Fair followed suit, arranging room vignettes with contemporary choices to serve as inspiration for new homeowners of the Southland. Seemingly a dichotomy, but combined in a manner that worked, the setups included both manufactured, industrial-looking furnishing, and hand-crafted objects. The Los Angeles Times Home magazine included articles on and images of architecture, gardens, fixtures, and arts and crafts. The entire region was rich with designers, architects, landscapers, and craftsmen eager to satisfy the new demand. The time and circumstances were right, so Harrison McIntosh and fellow potter and friend Rupert Deese set up their first studio in a stone building on Foothill Boulevard in Claremont in 1954 with the intention of becoming full-time potters. OTHER EVENTS September Harrison McIntosh Exclusive Appearance in Claremont, CA. Saturday, September 12, 2009, 6-9 pm. Concurrent with the opening night of Harrison McIntosh: A Timeless Legacy, McIntosh will celebrate his 95th birthday and AMOCA's 5th anniversary in Claremont. AMOCA founders, Julianne and David Armstrong will host a Birthday Party Celebration at their home in Claremont, featuring Harrison McIntosh on the same night the exhibit opens to the public. To see Harrison McIntosh and celebrate with AMOCA, reservations are $100 admission per person. To RSVP for space, please call 909/865-3146 with your credit card information. October AMOCA a'la Mode Fundraiser October 10, 2009 12-9pm A benefit sale of mugs and bowls will be held in AMOCA's Paseo (just behind the museum) to help support AMOCA's educational programs. Every mug will be sold at $20 filled with a hot mocha, and brownie a' la mode filled bowls are $15. All mugs and bowls are donated from local artists. Book Signing with Harrison McIntosh October 10, 2009, 6-7 pm Come greet Harrison McIntosh and have him sign your book. The museum will be open in conjunction with the Pomonaís Second Saturday Art Walk until 9pm. November Collector's Night ~Members Only November 7, 2009 6:30 pm AMOCA invites Mid-Century-Modern Collectors and AMOCA members to join us for our Collector's Night. Collectors will share their stories and experiences about collecting objects from this special era and bring examples from their personal collections. A Mid-Century-Modern guest specialist Gerard O'Brien, from Reform Gallery, will present a slideshow summarizing modern design, architecture, and urban development from 1930 to 1965 and why its unique style makes this era recognized by scholars and museums worldwide as a significant design movement. December Art and Pottery Market Saturday, December 12, 2009, 12 - 9 pm Our Paseo (just behind the museum) will be filled with original art & pottery for sale. Support local artists and the museum by finding unique gifts. Kid's Workshop December 12, 2009, 1-5 pm While you shop at our Art and Pottery Market, bring your kids! AMOCA will have tents set-up outside for adults and their children to try working with clay on a potterís wheel. |
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| AUGUST 2009
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Diversity in Clay: A
Community Exhibition and Fundraiser Pomona, CA, AMOCA presents Diversity in Clay, a community exhibition
and fundraiser from August 8 through August 29, 2009. The museum
will hold the opening reception on Saturday, August 8, 2009
from |
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MAY
- JULY 2009 |
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| David Furman: The Artist is in the Details
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FEBRUARY
2009 |
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| Cerámica de la Tierra:
The Pre-Columbian Tradition |
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Juxtaposed against the ancient works are the contemporary ceramic
sculptures of Luis Bermudez and Francisco "Pancho"
Jiménez, two California Mexican American artists who
reference Mesoamerican culture in their art.
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DECEMBER 2008
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NOVEMBER
2008  |
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EXHIBITIONS:
SEPTEMBER 2008 |
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Robert
Sperry, Bright Abyss August 30th – November 8th, 2008 Reception, Saturday, September 13th, 6-9pm |
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AUGUST
2008 |
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The postcard above features: (clockwise) |
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| MAY - JULY 2008 |
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