The magazine Form Analysis focuses exclusively on ceramic art. It is published quarterly and covers the field through interviews, articles about artists and artworks, curatorial news, historical papers, groups and trends in ceramics, and reviews of ceramic exhibitions. The magazine aims to both document contemporary developments in ceramics and enhance the preservation of its rich heritage. It relies on writings by recognized critics, curators, and art writers to validate ceramic arts and elevate its status in relation to other art forms. The editor and publisher seek to position ceramic art within the contemporary art world through educational focus and interpretation of artists' works.
4. Covered in the form of, interviews, articles about an artist or artwork, curatorial news, historic papers, ceramic groups and trends, show reviews of exhibitions.
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6. THESIS The magazine focuses largely on education and on elevating the status of ceramic art in relation to the contemporary arts scene. The writer, critic or curator is the voice of authority in this magazine, interpreting artists work to suit the goals of the publication. The writers celebrate and commend ceramic artists sometimes fawning over them a little too much. The writer serves the purpose of validating the worth of ceramic arts in relation to the craft vs high art discussion. Constantly noting prestige and ties to the fine art world
7. For whom this publication is written? Artists (mainly ceramics artists), educators, museums employees, curators, dealers, galleries, folks with an avid interest in the arts, and folks that like fancy magazines and are attracted to the cover image and all of the pretty things inside. Cover Image from 2004, Issue 4, Ken Price “Pearleen”(2002), 15” x 14 ½” x 12”, acrylic on fired ceramic
8. Publisher: Harry Dennis- “the founding publisher of American Ceramics. Educated in the United States and Sweden, he has worked for the U.S. State Department in Asia, Latin America and Europe. In addition to his work in the print media, Dennis currently is preparing to launch the Art Catalog Index, a digital search program for libraries”(http://www.amceram.org/home.html) Editor: Ronald Andrew Kuchta- “the editor of American Ceramics, is one of the most notable authorities on ceramics worldwide. For nearly two decades, he served as the director of the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. Kuchta is also a curator and writer whose articles have appeared in magazines, books and catalogs throughout the world” (http://www.amceram.org/home.html) Senior Editor: Renee Tannenbaum Art Directors: Walter Bernard, Milton Glaser Circulatory Manager: Marian Hieda Intern(2004 issue 1): BurcakBingold Editorial Advisory Board: Jack Lenor Larsen “internationally known textile designer, author, and collector, is one of the world's foremost advocates of traditional and contemporary crafts”(http://www.longhouse.org/larsen.ihtml) Lawrence Grossman Mark Mennin (stone sculptor) Derek Ostergard (curator) Susan Peterson (artist, teacher, curator and author)
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11. Historic
12. Curators Choice
13. Commentary
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15. “the author explores the humanizing effect of color in Kaneko’s work and interprets the title names selected by the artist”(14/1 pg5)
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18. “as is evident in many of her sculptures, freypossessed great faith in the human condition and man’s ability to overcome the travails of modern living with all its pitfalls and ever consuming industrial concerns”(American Ceramics 14/4 p.20) “It is as though the artist were attempting to recreate the “dance of life” on a luminous and ever widening terrain, opening out into a place of hope and deep nostalgia.”(American Ceramics 14/4 p.20) “painted with rural scenes depicting men and women going about their lives, untroubled and free.”(American Ceramics 14/4 p.20) “while Frey;s larger than life men and women appear as ordinary, concerned, thinking, capable beings whose outward gaze connotes a deep sensitivity, they reveal an inner life marked by deep thinking and keen perception” (20) Viola Frey. Fire Suit, 1983. Viola Frey Family Portrait, 1995
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21. “ The New York school of ceramics is not about having a common style…The first common denominator is high ambition and the second is an easy interface with the art world proper: Ceramic artists in New York keep their eyes on what’s going on, know artists other than ceramicists, are—in their minds at least—competing with the heavy weight painters and sculptors of the moment, rather than just with each other. The high stakes encourage high risks.” (American Ceramics 14/2 p.42)
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25. Five pages at the back of each issue are devoted to Reviews Always different writers
Meshing of old and young, the magazine fluctuates between the relationship of the past to the present. Constantly comparing new artists to the pioneers
Boasting about the Publisher and Editor and how they are connected to the art scene outside of ceramics
Blurb describing the article in the index “the author explores the humanizing effect of color in Kaneko’s work and interprets the title names selected by the artist”(14/1 pg5)
And that she studied under Mark Rothko.Recall eighteenth century porcelain figurines, surrealist imagery and Jean Debuffet’s grotesque little statues of Precarious life”She also produced a series of non-functional plates with glazed images that project from the flat surface.Frey made a variety of different types of sculpture including, Bronze works, oversized vases, bowls, urns, and behemoth figures. (the list starts with bronze and ends with behemoth figures.
Grouping of artists in the features sectionAuthor introduces the subject and then writes about each artist9/11 and about how this has impacted these clay artistsThat we do not know how many artists we lost.. And some of them were clay artistsSome people have the imptession of clay artists being in rural environments but there are clay artists in citys even new york city.
Folks denied there was a school but the author suggests that there is.Like a fine art school.. Or powerful movement.
International Coverage tooNordic Clay on Edge “ our most respected art critics have captured the essence of a breakthrough in contemporary ceramics in Scandinavia” Writer brings together the brightest talent.. Author asks “How did such a masterful work come about? Is it significant that Isleifsdottir did not study ceramics in Iceland, but in Japan where ceramics is high art, whether of the vessel form or not, and not just ‘womans work’”Article is about how this artist got to this place to make this wonderful art piece that is so “far removed from the typical vessel-orientation of Islandic and, in fact, Japanese ceramics”(42)Silk screening proverbs“next move was to abandon Islandic proverbs for other texts and other languages, while simultaneously moving into full-fledged sculpture”(43)“now that she has ‘tasted’ sculpture will she move away from clay? Will she leave behind the islandic obsession with language?”
This article by Garth Clark was one of my favoritesTalks about mimetic clay and the trompel’oeil technique, what I liked is that the author compares this work to another ceramic artist Marilyn Levine who mimics leather, the author doesn’t think she is successful and uses this to help in understanding the unique way in which this artist has the perfect mixture of illusion and also leaves some quality of the clay to be discovered.Levine’s work has “they have a blandness about them, devoid of invention or expression and offering little that is personal from the artist”(29Instead of comparing it to high art or making sweeping statements of success.. Clark says”it can certainly be considered high craft, if not high technology. To this writer, ah leon passes the test.”What I
Curators choice- Places new work next to work from centuries ago from craftsmanThe acquisition of this contemporary pot was from a process the museum goes though each year,, when curators select a current artists work that references work in the collection.
No ads about kilns or equipment, The ads are for grants, shows in galleries and museums, openings, general advertisements for galleries or collections of an artists work.