Spotted | Dogfood Chic, Richard Notkin’s War Jars, Self-Watering Plants and more!

Welcome to Spotted, a weekly roundup of ephemera from the world of contemporary ceramics and contemporary ceramic art. Don’t let the word “ephemera” fool you, these works are no lesser for their inclusion here. In fact, if Spotted has a theme it’s of the diverse richness of contemporary ceramic art!

A Contemporary Ceramics Bowl for Dogfood

Do your dogs eat better than most people? Maybe you’d be interested in these sleek designer dogfood bowls by Finnish company KIND. The colors— Midnight, Feather, Mist and Blossom (matte black, white, gray blue and pink, respectively)— are all inspired by nature and will look beautiful when filled with Z-grade Alpo meat. Though, if you’re fronting 32 Euros ($34 USD) on a designer dogfood bowl, maybe you’re more choosey about what your pooch consumes.

Richard Notkin’s Hill Jar Series at Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago

From the gallery:

Notkin states “The glazed reliefs on the cylinder walls and sculptural imagery of the lids of the Hill Jars provide the perfect format for my continuing explorations into the human condition, and my ongoing protests aimed squarely at the utter insanity of war. While I utilize the beauty of the execution in the objects I create to lure the viewer in, the imagery which the viewer encounters is purposely challenging – and occasionally disturbing.  Much like my “Yixing Teapot Series” (inspired by the unglazed stoneware teapots of Yixing, China, circa 1500 AD to the present), my intent is to not merely copy these classical works, but to transform the imagery within their aesthetic parameters to reflect our contemporary culture and, in particular, my concerns regarding the many dire threats the human species faces at the beginning of the 21st century. I am in awe of the power of art to have a profound impact on humankind’s perceptions, as evidenced by Picasso’s masterpiece, “Guernica”, and Goya’s “Disasters of War” suite of etchings, art works for which I have the highest respect. Similarly, I feel it is of utmost importance that my work has an impact on viewers today, and, hopefully, into our unknown and precarious future.”

Pots that Let Plants Ask for a Drink of Water

Plants aren’t like most pets; they won’t bother you within seconds of their food running empty and that puts them at a disadvantage. Dutch Studio Lorier recently succeeded in their Kickstarter goal of creating a flowerpot that both waters a plant gradually and causes the plant to tip backward at an angle when the water must be refilled. Balance has been restored to houseplants. The cork is an adorable addition to the piece.

Spotted on Instagram: Vases by Olivier Van Herpt

Dutch Ceramist/Techboy Olivier Van Herpt is always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with clay and 3D printing. We offer this from his Instagram account as we continue to keep tabs on the development of this emerging approach to clay. Van Herpt is certainly one of the best.

Do you love or loathe these works of contemporary ceramics and contemporary ceramic art? Let us know in the comments.