EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY THINGS, 2021-Ongoing

“Humans have made functional objects since prehistoric times: furnishings to sit or lay upon, vessels to store or drink water, devices to illuminate the darkness or mark the passage of time. Featuring more than 300 objects—including some 150 recent acquisitions—from the museum’s expansive decorative arts and design collection, Extraordinary Ordinary Things marks the first significant update to the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Galleries since 2009.

Spanning some of the most significant design developments of the past three centuries, the works on view offer boundless inspiration and endless possibilities for functional design for visitors to learn about, consider, and enjoy. This exhibition presents a selection of functional objects ranging from the evocative and extraordinary to the practical and everyday and highlights signature works by designers including Molly Hatch.” —Carnegie Museum of Art website

TOKEN, 2018

A ceramic wall installation comprised of 70 hand-painted earthenware plates. The central image of the work, a large vase of vibrantly painted flowers is derived from 15th century Dutch painting, more specifically “pronkstilleven” (Dutch for ‘ostentatious still life’). Each individual plate serves as a canvas; together, the plates reveal the intricate abstract floral motif of their source material. Bridging the gap decorative and fine art the glazed surfaces of earthenware plates collectively become a fragmented canvas for painterly re-rendering.

Materials: 70 hand-painted earthenware plates with glaze and underglaze

Dimensions: 80h x 56w x 1.5d inches